Ukraine has secured a $950m loan from China to build a railway link between Kiev and the capital’s main airport and has hired a Chinese company for the project, the Chinese People’s Daily newspaper said on Friday.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich, who arrived in China on Thursday for a state visit – the first by a Ukrainian leader – has already signed the loan agreement.

During the visit “an agreement was … signed securing China’s credit support to a 30km railway project and construction of auxiliary facilities for an airport in Ukraine’s capital, Kiev,” the newspaper said.

“The railway project, contracted to a Chinese firm, will cost $950m and construction will begin next year,” it said, adding that the project would take three years to complete.