Guangzhou authorities are considering building a second airport in the city, possibly in the southern district of Nansha, but some analysts question its merits.
Guangzhou Mayor Chen Jianhua told the city's People's Congress on Monday the local government was studying the feasibility of a second airport, The Southern Metropolis News reported yesterday.
Within the Pearl River Delta region, there are already three key civilian airports - in Guangzhou, Zhuhai and Shenzhen - in addition to a military airport in Foshan and airports in Hong Kong and Macau.
The report did not say whether Chen elaborated on the rationale behind such a project, but response from some experts has been mixed.
Wang Han , a researcher with the Guangzhou-based Urban Research Institute of South China, was quoted by the newspaper as saying it would be a wasteful project and the government should first consider consolidating existing airport resources before building a new one.
Others questioned whether the new airport would simply be a tool used by the local government to stimulate the economy.
News of the planned airport come at a time when central government authorities are spearheading plans to invest in infrastructure to shore up the nation's economy.