On a winter morning in southern China, foreign diplomats stood beneath petal-shaped ceilings and kinetic art installations, watching aircraft glide in and out of one of the country's newest aviation landmarks.
The visit to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport's newly opened Terminal 3 came later the same day, after a meeting on December 16 between the mayor of Guangzhou, the capital of China's southern Guangdong province, and members of the foreign consular corps—an annual gathering that this year conveyed a clear message: Guangzhou wants to be seen, once again, as China's most outward-looking southern gateway.
Officials from consulates general representing 65 countries met with Guangzhou mayor Sun Zhiyang, who portrayed the city as both the birthplace of the ancient Maritime Silk Road and a testing ground for China's modern reform and opening-up.
As China prepares its next five-year development blueprint, Sun emphasized that Guangzhou would deepen high-level openness and strengthen its role as an international transport, trade, and exchange hub.
Consular officials in Guangzhou visit the newly opened Terminal 3 at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport on December 16, 2025. (Photo: Liu Xiaodi/South)
After the meeting, 58 consular officials traveled to Terminal 3 at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. Opened in late October, the expansion brings the airport to three terminals and five runways, with a designed annual passenger capacity of 120 million, comparable to global giants such as Atlanta and Heathrow.
For visiting diplomats, the terminal offered more than statistics. "It's amazing—really a piece of art," said Maria de los Angeles Arrieta, Argentina's consul general in Guangzhou, pointing to the warm-toned interior and large-scale public artworks.
She noted that the new terminal strengthened Guangzhou's international profile and could support calls for more direct air links between southern China and Latin America, where journeys currently require long transfers.
An interior view of the newly opened Terminal 3 at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. (Photo: CFP)
Others focused on the broader symbolism. Khatibu Makenga, Tanzania's consul general in Guangzhou, described the rapid expansion of transport infrastructure across Guangdong province as a sign of what he termed a "government for the people," arguing that connectivity underpins trade, investment, and people-to-people exchanges.
Emilio de Miguel, Spain's consul general in Guangzhou, highlighted the blending of technology and design, expressing hope that improved connectivity would encourage more visitors to see Guangzhou as a tourist destination, not just a business stop during the Canton Fair.
Consular officials in Guangzhou visit the newly opened Terminal 3 at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport on December 16, 2025. (Photo: Liu Xiaodi/South)
City officials stated that the airport expansion was designed not only to increase capacity but also to reflect a "people-oriented" approach to urban development.
The new terminal integrates digitalized check-in systems, green building standards, and cultural references to Lingnan architecture, while anchoring a wider transport network that links high-speed rail, intercity trains, and aviation into a single hub for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Reporter | Liu Xiaodi
Editor | Yuan Zixiang, James Campion, Shen He
