Nantong among choices for third airport for Shanghai

"In addition to its existing capacity, Shanghai is in need of another international airport that is equivalent to one-and-a-half times the size of Hongqiao airport, and a large general aviation airport," Jiang Huaiyu, director of the East China branch of the CAAC, said at a meeting last May.

An important task for the integration of the Yangtze River Delta region's civil aviation integration and development is to build an aviation hub across the city cluster with Shanghai as the centerpiece, said Jiang.

Over the past few years, there has been discussions of different destinations for Shanghai's third airport, including Nantong, Jiaxing in Zhejiang province and Kunshan in Jiangsu province.

"All the three locations have strengths and drawbacks. It is not a simple yes or no," said Jin.

"Taking the two options in Jiangsu province for example, Nantong, which is located north of the Yangtze River, has a shortage of aviation facilities. If the new airport is located in Nantong, it will be positive for the less developed northern and central areas of Jiangsu province," Jiang said.

But for economic and practical concerns, Kunshan in Suzhou, which is situated in the south of Jiangsu province, is a better choice as it is an economic engine of Jiangsu province, and an airport would be able to cushion the passenger and cargo pressure of this area, he said.