The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CACC) has signed a framework agreement with Guangdong province on 5 November 2018 to guide the construction of an airport cluster in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macro Bay Area, one of China’s most developed regions.
Under the deal, CAAC will help Guangdong province formulate development plans for the world-class airport cluster in the bay area. CACC will also promote cooperation with Hong Kong and Macau to invest in and construct an airport cluster.
The Pearl River Delta is China’s aviation hotspot. Passenger throughput of major regional airports in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Huizhou topped 120 million last year, or over 200 million if combined with neighbouring airports in Hong Kong and Macau.
Economic development and a swelling population will intensify the shortage of airspace resources in the area, making it necessary for each airport in the region to realise a rational division of tasks and differentiated operation, as reported by Yicai Global.
The agreement mandates that efforts must go to enhance the competitiveness of the Guangzhou and Shenzhen airports as international aviation hubs. This includes hastening the preparatory work for the phase three expansion of Baiyun Airport and the construction of freight terminal facilities to enhance international transfer functions and create international transport channels, to connect with Europe, the Americas, Oceania and Africa. — Construction+ Online
