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For Foshan’s new airport to thrive, it must set itself apart from other hubs in the Greater Bay Area, analysts say

  • Beijing recently approved a proposal to build a new aviation hub in Foshan city in the Greater Bay Area
  • The new hub is expected to provide a boost to less developed cities in the bay area, but a clear strategy is needed to avoid uneven competition, analysts say

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Passenger jets are parked at the Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou. Photo: Reuters

The new airport planned for the Greater Bay Area city of Foshan will boost the region’s global standing in aviation development, but a well-defined strategy is needed to differentiate it from other airfields in the region, analysts said.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) earlier this month officially approved a proposal to build a new airport in Gaoming district of Foshan, the third city in Guangdong province with gross domestic product in excess of 1 trillion yuan (US$153.9 billion) after Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
“The new airport in Foshan will further consolidate and strengthen the importance of Greater Bay Area globally,” said Lei Zheng, founder of Institute for Aviation Research. “It could serve the needs of smaller cities in Guangdong province and boost their economies.”
The CAAC has planned the new airport with the aim of connecting people and easing trade with less developed cities in the western part of Guangdong province, including Zhaoqing, Jiangmen, Zhanjiang, Maoming and Yangjiang.

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Foshan, 'Guangzhou's little brother', offers rich traditional Chinese culture

Foshan, 'Guangzhou's little brother', offers rich traditional Chinese culture

Construction is scheduled to start next year and the airport is expected to be ready in 2024, according to mainland media reports. The facility will have a capacity of 30 million passengers annually by 2035, rising to 60 million by 2050. It will have a runway capable of landing an Airbus A380, the largest passenger aircraft in service. 

The current Foshan Shadi Airport handled 885,000 passengers and 5,700 flights in 2019, according to the most recent data.

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