Germany's Fraport, the operator of Frankfurt Airport, has become one of the shareholders of Xianyang International Airport in northwest China's Shaanxi Province by obtaining a 24.5 percent stake.

Under an agreement signed here Friday at an investment and trade forum, Fraport will pay 490 million yuan for the stake while the state-owned company China West Airport Group, former sole owner of the airport, will hold 50.9 percent of shares.

The other two shareholders are China National Aviation Holding Company with a 24.5 percent stake and Xi'an Airport Logistics Co. Ltd. of China West Airport Group.

The Xianyang Airport is the largest in northwest China and handled 9.4 million passengers last year.