Hong Kong’s Under Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Liu Chun-san (right); Chairman of the Airport Authority Hong Kong, Jack So (center); and Chief Executive Officer of the AAHK, Fred Lam (left) witness through video-conferencing in Hong Kong as Executive Director, Airport Operations of the AAHK, Vivian Cheung (front row, left on screen), and Vice Mayor of Zhuhai Municipal Government, Qin Chun (front row, right on screen) sign a memorandum of understanding on deepening of cooperation between the airports of both cities in Zhuhai on Nov 9, 2022. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

HONG KONG – The Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) and the Zhuhai municipal government on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding in Zhuhai, marking the deepening of cooperation between the airports of both cities for mutual development and prosperity.

The pact was signed in Zhuhai by AAHK Airport Operations Executive Director Vivian Cheung and Zhuhai Vice Mayor Qin Chun, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government said in a statement.

It was witnessed by Zhuhai Mayor Huang Zhihao on-site and Under Secretary for Transport and Logistics Liu Chun-san, AAHK Chairman Jack So and AAHK Chief Executive Officer Fred Lam through video-conferencing in Hong Kong.

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The deal aims to deepen the cooperation between Hong Kong and Zhuhai airports, said Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung.

I believe that the new heights which the cooperation between the two airports has reached will be conducive to greater contribution to the development of a world-class airport cluster in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Lam Sai-hung, Secretary for Transport and Logistics, HKSAR 

“Hong Kong and Zhuhai will strive to commission 'Fly-Via-Zhuhai-HK' (i.e. direct air-land-air passenger service achieved through the land transport linkage of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge), develop international air cargo business of Hong Kong and Zhuhai, take forward the development of a high-end aviation industrial cluster, proactively discuss the acquisition of the equity of Zhuhai Airport by the AAHK, and more,” he said.

The pact will enhance the complementarity of the two airports' respective strengths and raise their competitiveness, thereby culminating in a win-win situation, said Lam.

In 2006, the Zhuhai municipal government and the AAHK launched collaboration over the operation and management of Zhuhai Airport which was a remarkable success, with Zhuhai Airport's passenger throughput experiencing a substantial increase.

An opportunity for the two cities to further strengthen airport and aviation industrial co-operation has been opened up by the commissioning of the HZMB, which has greatly shortened the travelling distance between the two airports.

Hong Kong is an international aviation hub with an extensive international aviation network, while Zhuhai Airport has an expanding domestic aviation network, said the transport chief.

“Based on the solid foundation of the mutually beneficial co-operation between Hong Kong and Zhuhai, the MoU will effectively combine the strengths of the two airports with multiplying synergy, thereby creating new opportunities for synchronized development.” 

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He expressed his belief that the new heights which the co-operation between the two airports has reached will be conducive to greater contribution to the development of a world-class airport cluster in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.