Time to compete as co-operation talk puts win-win scenario at risk

The tax dollars of Hong Kong's hard-working citizens would be well spent sponsoring senior members of the Tung administration on an all-expenses paid junket to the new Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.

One trip north on the 12-lane highway that funnels travellers and trade to the 18 billion yuan jewel in Guangzhou's infrastructure crown would surely put an end to all the disingenuous spin about regional 'co-operation' between airports and 'win-win scenarios'.

The magnitude of the Baiyun project is breathtaking, and Below Deck believes that any official who continues to trundle out the tired old 'co-operation' message hasn't actually seen the facility.

A quick speedboat trip out to Guangzhou's new port at Nansha would also clear a few heads.

Nansha is a huge, modern port with the dockside infrastructure to compete with any port in this region, a fact not lost on China's two biggest container lines, which just happen to be minority shareholders.

The A5 Forum - the discussion group set up to promote co-operation between south China's airports - hasn't met for more than year now. Guangzhou was supposed to host the next session but I guess they were too busy building what is potentially Asia's premier airport.