If CX were paying for the third runway, then by all means let them fight it out with the environmentalists and see who wins, but the HK taxpayer is in all likelihood going to shell out HK$200bn if this project is ever completed. I don't believe any of these preliminary budgets/estimates, and I don't see why the taxpayer should subsidize another runway.

That's a hell of a lot of money. The government has no credibility at all so I welcome the left wingers protecting the piggy bank. I need to be convinced that this is not another transfer of wealth from the shrinking middle class to big business.

There are perfectly good airports in Zhuhai, Macau and Shenzhen. Sure, CX can't make it one of their hubs, but Air China probably could, and we all know that Air China will take over CX one day anyway... Then there is also the question of how high speed rail will make many of the short haul flights obsolete which will free up slots...and how air space is already tightly controlled into and out HKG for flights going through the mainland