TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) encouraged discussion of a second international airport in the city’s south on Thursday (Nov. 21).

Kaohsiung City Councilor Chen Mei-ya (陳美雅) asked the mayor where a new airport could be built during a question session at the council, per UDN. Mayor Chen responded by saying there should be preliminary discussions about building an airport at the Nanxing Project Area, a section of reclaimed land about 5 kilometers south of Kaohsiung International Airport.

The mayor continued that Kaohsiung should have an international airport that operates 24 hours per day. The existing airport’s international terminal is open between 4.20 a.m. and midnight daily due to noise controls for neighboring residential areas.

The mayor said more international flights are needed into Kaohsiung to boost economic development and make transport more convenient. He added that any plans to build a new airport will require professional evaluation.

Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) visited Kaohsiung on Nov. 8 to announce an NT$80 billion (US$2.46 billion) terminal renovation project at Kaohsiung International Airport, per the Commercial Times. During the visit, the mayor said the central government should consider building a new airport in Taiwan’s south that is not subject to noise restrictions.

Proposals to build a new airport in Kaohsiung go back as far as 2006.