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Speech by CE at official opening of Civil Aviation Department Headquarters (English only) (with photos/videos)
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     Following is the speech delivered by the Chief Executive, Mr C Y Leung, at the official opening of the Civil Aviation Department Headquarters in Lantau this afternoon (May 23):

Colleagues, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

     I am delighted to join you all today for the opening of the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) Headquarters.

     Aviation is crucial to Hong Kong's future development. It also has a long and colourful history in our city. Over 100 years ago, back in 1911 to be exact, a pioneer aviator from Belgium named Charles Van den Born, took to the sky in a small biplane from a beach in Sha Tin. It marked the first ever powered flight in Hong Kong and launched our city's love affair with aviation.

     After a century of leaps and bounds, Hong Kong has evolved into one of the world's major aviation hubs. Forty years ago, there were only about 30 airlines operating in Hong Kong. Today, we have over 100 airlines operating regularly at our award-winning Hong Kong International Airport. They connect us to more than 180 destinations worldwide. Hong Kong is now the busiest air cargo hub and one of the 10 busiest passenger airports in the world. Since the airport's relocation from Kai Tak to Chek Lap Kok in 1998, cargo and passenger throughput have grown substantially. Air cargo has increased from 1.6 million tonnes in 1998 to 4 million tonnes last year. Over the same period, the number of passengers has doubled to 56 million last year and the annual volume of air traffic movements has more than doubled to 350,000. These achievements were made possible by the concerted and relentless efforts of our aviation community, including many of you here today, in the search for excellence. Congratulations!

     Busy skies also mean more work for the Civil Aviation Department. Over the years, CAD has been providing professional and effective air traffic control services, and maintaining a safe and efficient air transport system in Hong Kong, which is crucial to the success of our aviation industry. Its exemplary standard of regulatory oversight has also earned CAD the reputation as one of the most highly regarded civil aviation authorities anywhere.

     While CAD plays an important role for our aviation industry, the industry itself in turn contributes significantly to the economic prosperity of our city. The HKSAR Government attaches great importance to the development of the aviation industry. In my Policy Address in January, I stressed the importance of continuing to improve our aviation facilities and our connectivity so as to enhance and reinforce Hong Kong's role as an international and regional transport hub.

     The new CAD Headquarters is a key milestone towards achieving our goal. The new building brings all divisions of the department, that used to be scattered in various locations, under one roof. Furthermore, a new Air Traffic Control Centre with an advanced air traffic management system is being installed at this building. This will also be capable of handling the additional air traffic under the proposed three-runway system. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate and thank my CAD colleagues for successfully completing this building project. I am sure the new HQ and Air Traffic Control Centre will enhance the operational efficiency of the department, and help us rise to future challenges.

     No doubt, the continuous advancement of aviation technology will make air travel safer, more comfortable, more affordable, and more environmentally friendly. At the same time, air traffic, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, is forecast to continue to grow strongly, bringing additional opportunities for our aviation industry. Under the new Economic Development Commission, the Working Group on Transportation has been tasked specifically to provide concrete advice on the development of our aviation industry. I look forward to hearing their best ideas and, with your support, implementing these ideas.

     Ladies and gentlemen, our city is at the heart of East Asia and is a highly efficient two-way connecter between the Mainland of China and the rest of the world. I am confident that, with the concerted efforts of the aviation community and other stakeholders, Hong Kong's hub status and competitiveness will continue to grow from strength to strength.

     I look forward to working with all of you in scaling new heights for Hong Kong.

     Thank you very much.

Ends/Thursday, May 23, 2013
Issued at HKT 18:36

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