Shenzhen International Airport has been ordered to halt an expansion project and pay a 200,000 yuan fine after it was discovered that it had not received proper approval, Shenzhen Community reported yesterday.

The expansion included an extension of its future Terminal 3 as well as runway extensions. The airport did not receive proper approval from The Ministry of Environmental Protection and thus received the maximum fine.

It is not clear whether the punishment will affect the projects, according to Shenzhen Daily.

The airport must apply for proper approval before it continues with the extension.

Terminal 3, which started construction in February 2009 and will have a capacity of 30 million passengers a year, is still scheduled to open this year.

Between 2000 and 2010, China added 40 airports, the LA Times reported, but traffic has tended to be concentrated at the major hubs. Aviation authorities reported last year that many smaller airports are losing money.

You can see some “gorgeous” photos of state of the art Chinese airports at Business Insider here.