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In response to the unfounded allegation made by certain groups that the shared use of airspace between Hong Kong and Shenzhen may violate the Basic Law, the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) today (March 7) issued the following statement:
"In the course of establishing and implementing the 'Pearl River Delta Region Air Traffic Management Planning and Implementation Plan (Version 2.0)', the Tripartite Working Group (TWG), which comprised the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the CAD of Hong Kong and the Civil Aviation Authority of Macao, would strictly adhere to relevant provisions of the Basic Law and to the safety regulations on airspace management set out by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The groups concerned showed a diagram to the media yesterday (March 6), alleging that it illustrated the idea of how the CAD would handle the airspace issue between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. The CAD has not exhibited any diagram in relation to the shared use of airspace between Hong Kong and Shenzhen to the Town Planning Board. Moreover, the diagram concerned was not made by the CAD.
The CAD has reiterated on several occasions that, no matter which plan on airspace management will Hong Kong, Macao and the Mainland consider or adopt, the concerned airspace still belong to the original air traffic control unit. This is in line with the Basic Law. Aviation safety is the priority of the TWG and the safety regulations on airspace management set out by the ICAO will be strictly adhered to. Flight safety will never be compromised.
To enhance air traffic management efficiency, the ICAO has been advocating to its member states that air route structure and air traffic management efficiency, instead of national boundaries, should be the prime considerations in planning the airspace. According to Chapter two of Annex 11 of ICAO's document, the delineation of airspace, wherein air traffic services are to be provided, should be related to the nature of the route structure and the need for efficient service rather than to national boundaries. Agreements to permit the delineation of airspace lying across national boundaries are advisable when such action will facilitate the provision of air traffic services. This kind of airspace management methodology is actually a common international practice, for instance between Singapore and Malaysia, and between European countries like Germany and Switzerland.
With regard to the different units of measurement used in the Hong Kong and the Mainland Flight Information Regions, it has been a long standing arrangement and aviation safety has never been affected by that.
The CAD of Hong Kong, together with its counterparts in the Mainland and Macao, will continue to pursue via the TWG platform to take forward the measures to enhance flight procedures and air traffic management efficiency in the Pearl River Delta region, in a progressive manner to cope with the rapid growth in air traffic in the future."
Ends/Monday, March 7, 2016
Issued at HKT 20:05
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