[1] During the Canton Operation, the Japanese Navy invaded the airport and expanded the runway.
Its passenger capacity, takeoffs and landings had ranked first in mainland China for eight consecutive years.
Due to the expansion of Guangzhou, the airport was surrounded by high-rise buildings and was unable to expand further to meet passengers’ needs.
The northern portion of the former airport is being turned into a provincial- and city-level functional area integrating conference services.
The southern portion will be converted into Guangzhou's secondary center integrating retail, sports facilities, business, and cultural activities.