Mabel Chan: Will focus on implementing five major development goals to consolidate Hong Kong International Airport's leading position in aviation

The Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mabel Chan, in reply to a Member's question, said that in order to fully unleash the potential of Hong Kong International Airport, the Hong Kong Government will focus on implementing five major development goals to achieve strategic upgrading and build a highly resilient air cargo and logistics network: first, creating a super air cargo corridor; second, leading pioneering and efficient multimodal transport operations; third, promoting the diversified development of the air cargo structure; fourth, deeply integrating into and aligning with the new landscape of supply chain restructuring; and fifth, digitalizing air cargo processes. Chan mentioned that cargo throughput at Hong Kong International Airport remained steady in the first three quarters of this year, rising 3.3% year on year to 3.78 million tonnes. The "Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan" issued by the SAR Government also explicitly states that it will make every effort to consolidate Hong Kong's status as an international aviation hub, and has set "maintaining a global lead in air cargo throughput" as one of its primary strategic goals. The Hong Kong SAR Government has consistently adopted a "policy-led" approach, proactively planning and optimizing air traffic rights allocation, and has to date signed as many as 87 bilateral civil aviation documents. When selecting aviation partners, it looks not only at current traffic volume and economic benefits, but also at their strategic value and future business opportunities. Take resource-rich countries such as Brazil, Peru and Kazakhstan as examplesthey are seeking to establish closer trade ties with other places. South America, Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa also have substantial trade potential awaiting development. The authorities expand air traffic rights through policy guidance to open up high-potential emerging markets, injecting long-term growth momentum into Hong Kong's international aviation hub. Through the "Cargo Network Expansion Scheme" implemented by the Hong Kong Airport Authority in March this year, airlines are encouraged to increase the number of cargo flights. In just half a year, it has successfully attracted 14 airlines to add a total of 80 flights per week. The authorities have also worked with the Airport Authority to use air traffic rights arrangements alongside other operating incentives to strategically attract foreign airlines to use Hong Kong as their second hub. For example, Qatar Airways Cargo relocated its regional headquarters to Hong Kong in August 2026 and signed a memorandum with the Airport Authority to increase flight frequencies and open more new routes via Hong Kong. As for traditional markets such as Europe, Hong Kong has currently signed bilateral civil aviation arrangements with more than 80% of EU member states, including all major member states. In recent years, it has also updated or expanded bilateral civil aviation arrangements with member states such as Luxembourg and Malta, and concluded a new bilateral civil aviation agreement with Poland. The authorities will continue to actively explore the best ways with EU member states to deepen bilateral relations. At the same time, the results of the SAR Government's air traffic rights negotiations must be combined with the business development of the Hong Kong Airport Authority (AA) and the cooperation of airlines, building an overall "policy, market, operations" synergy mechanism to translate results into substantive network coverage. For example, the first direct service to Kazakhstan to be provided by a local airline in January next year is a prime case in point. In addition, amid the global challenge of aircraft shortages, Hong Kong's primary task is to expand capacity swiftly and steadily. The AA launched the "Aviation Network Expansion Scheme" in June 2024, providing financial incentives to airlines to encourage the launch of new routes, especially long-haul routes, and to enhance services on existing routes. As of the end of September this year, the scheme has successfully attracted 40 airlines to open 95 new routes covering five continents and to increase flight frequencies on 15 existing routes. The AA has also encouraged various foreign airlines to resume routes, with good progress. Among them, Etihad Airways and Delta Air Lines have respectively resumed flight services between Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi and Los Angeles. The AA earlier also signed a memorandum of understanding with Uzbekistan's Fly Khiva Group, agreeing to establish a comprehensive passenger and cargo aviation network. In terms of multimodal transport, the AA is fully promoting the Hong Kong International Airport Dongguan Air Cargo Centre to transport air cargo from the Greater Bay Area more efficiently to Hong Kong International Airport for handling. Since the launch of the pilot scheme, the centre has handled cargo with a cumulative value exceeding RMB57 billion. With the Air Cargo Centre commencing commercial operations in June next year, it will become a model of Greater Bay Area cooperation, not only reducing costs and time, but also combining mainland resources with Hong Kong International Airport's international standards in various aspects, demonstrating institutional innovation.