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Airport committee gives green light to second runway project
The Secretary for Economic Services, Mr Gordon Siu, today (Thursday) welcomed the agreement reached by the British and Chinese sides of the Airport Committee on the Airport Authority's (AA) proposal to proceed as quickly as possible with the construction of the second runway (and associated facilities) at the new airport at Chek Lap Kok.
"The agreement signed this morning with the Chinese side to bring forward the commissioning of the second runway is excellent news. It will mean that planes could be using the second runway at the new airport by October 1998 at the earliest, just six months after the opening of the first runway in April 1998," Mr Siu said.
"The decision to bring forward the construction of the second runway marks another important milestone in the development of the new airport at Chek Lap Kok and ensures that Hong Kong maintains its status as a centre of international and regional aviation."
He said based on revised air traffic demand forecasts, the earlier construction of the second runway (and associated facilities) will ensure that the new airport would be able to meet the projected demand for aircraft movement during peak periods within desired operational service standards.
"This will support Hong Kong's role as a tourist destination, a trade and financial services centre, and an attractive location for doing business with China and the Asia Pacific region and thus bring economic benefits to the community as a whole," he said.
Mr Siu said AA would begin design and preparatory work next month and the target commissioning date of the second runway would be October 1998 at the earliest.
On this time-frame, the Authority estimates that the construction cost of the AA works, consist of the design and construction of the second runway and the northwest concourse, will be about $4.3 billion in money of the day.
Under the terms of the agreed minute signed by the British and Chinese sides this morning, all costs incurred by AA in respect of the second runway (and associated facilities) project up to the time the first phase of the new airport is completed will be financed by borrowings.
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