The strengths of the Hong Kong International Airport in handling air cargo should not be viewed in isolation and stakeholders must not become complacent, cautioned Janice Tse, Hong Kong’s Deputy Secretary for Transport and Housing and Secretary for the HongKong Logistics Development Council.
Hong Kong’s sustained cargo throughput growth should be attributed to the enhanced connectivity with the fast growing cargo hinterland in South China over the past decades, Tse said speaking at the offi cial opening of FAPAA’s 34th ExecutiveCouncil Meeting in Hong Kong.
A seamless and improving inter-modal transportation network is becoming more and more crucial to the sustained development of any cargo hub, sheadded.
“Apart from having direct fl ight connection to about 40 mainland destinations, Hong Kong is a major logistic gateway to the Pearl River Delta Region,” she said in her address to FAPAA delegates.
Despite the strong position, Tse said there was no room for Hong Kong to be complacent. “With the fast economic expansion in mainland China comes an increasingly competitive environmentfor our operators.”
For instance, “the development of large-capacity airports like the New Guangzhou Baiyun Airport and Bangkok’s new Suvarnabhumi Airport has lifted the competition to a higherlevel,” she pointed out.
In addition, she noted, there was the emergence of Low Cost Carriers (LCCs) in the region that prefer tooperate from “second tier” airports.
Tse said that to increase capacity and enhance its competitiveness, Hong Kong was taking a multi-pronged approach including the progressive liberalisation of its air services and the strengthening of its status both as an international hub and the primary gateway to the mainland.
She added that so far Hong Kong has concluded 58 air services agreementswith its trading partners.
Another initiative was the New Destination Incentive Arrangement (NDIA) to provide landing charge rebates to encourage airlines to develop new destinations, while at the same time, the airport continued the upgradingof its cargo handling facilities.
Tse noted that a clear road map has been rolled out, and progress is being made across a broad front by both the government and the industry players.“As the Hong Kong government,we are committed to providing thenecessary infrastructure and a businessfriendlyenvironment.
“However, I believe the key driving force behind Hong Kong’s success story will continue to be the power of entrepreneurship in an open and free society, as well as an international perspective to feel the pulse and rhythm of the world trend,” she said.
– Wong Joon San
