[5] In 1987, when the Guangzhou Municipal Government along with SYSTRA started planning a metro system, four proposals appeared at the time.

[6] The "Guangzhou Urban Rapid Rail Transit Network Planning Report" (广州市城市快速轨道交通线网规划研究) published in the late 1990s had already shown intentions to split the now under construction Line 2 around Jiangtai Road with the "Seven-Line Program".

[6] The Jianggao Branch Line was removed and the section to the new airport was also reduced to what is today Jiahewanggang station additionally the section between Jiahewanggang and Sanyuanli stations was shifted east to run under the central axis of the now abandoned Old Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport site.

The original alignment between Jiahewanggang and Sanyuanli stations would later be proposed as the now under construction Phase 2 extension of Line 14 in 2008.

The section heading east between Nanzhou to today's Lijiao station eventually became a part of the Guangfo Line.

[6] In June 2007, the project was formally approved by the National Development and Reform Commission, and started construction in August.