FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
MEMORANDUM BY THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
HONG KONG: AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT
INTRODUCTION
1. This memorandum sets out the background to the decision by the Hong Kong Government to construct a new airport and related infrastructure. It summarises the history of the planning of the project and describes the progress achieved so far and the discussions that have already taken place with the Chinese Government about the project.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROJECT
2.
Responsibility for the planning and implementation of the project rests with the Hong Kong Government, although the British Government have been kept informed of all significant developments. This is in line with the well established practice whereby major infrastructure projects (such as cross harbour tunnels, the Mass Transit Railway etc) are carried out by the Hong Kong Government, in partnership with private industry. It is an arrangement which has always worked very successfully
-
a fact that is
borne out by Hong Kong's remarkable infrastructure development in the past decades.
HISTORY OF THE PROJECT
3.
It has been clear for a number of years that it will be necessary for Hong Kong to construct a new airport to replace Kai Tak, the capacity and development potential of which are limited. Accordingly, as early as 1973, a
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