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HK signs Air Services Agreement with US
Development of air services between Hong Kong and the United States of America entered an important phase today (Monday) with the formal signing of an agreement between the two Governments.
The Secretary for Economic Services, Mr Stephen Ip, signed the agreement on behalf of the Hong Kong Government, and the US Consul-General in Hong Kong, Mr Richard Boucher, signed the agreement on behalf of the Government of the United States of America.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr Ip pointed out that the agreement would provide a firm legal basis for the continued development of air services between Hong Kong and the United States up to and beyond June 30, 1997.
Mr Ip noted the strong economic and tourism links between Hong Kong and the United States and said that air services played a vital role in strengthening such links.
He said Hong Kong's regular air services with the United States started in 1937, when Pan American established a passenger and cargo flying boat service between California and Hong Kong.
Currently, nine US airlines operate about 84 passenger and cargo services per week to Hong Kong. In 1996, they carried about 920,000 passengers and 147,000 tonnes of air cargo on direct services between Hong Kong and the United States.
Cathay Pacific started its passenger and cargo services to the United States in 1986. This was followed by Air Hong Kong, a dedicated air-cargo carrier, in 1996.
Cathay Pacific and Air Hong Kong now operate about 21 services per week between Hong Kong and points in the United States. In 1996, they carried 315,000 passengers and about 42,000 tonnes of air cargo.
The total number of passengers carried on direct services alone between Hong Kong and the United States by the airlines of both sides was close to 1.2 million in 1996, 12.7 per cent more than that carried in 1995.
The Hong Kong-US Agreement is the nineteenth Air Services Agreement signed by Hong Kong Hong Kong has signed similar agreements with the Netherlands, Switzerland, Canada, Brunei, France, New Zealand, Malaysia, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Australia, Germany, Korea, Singapore, Italy, India, Japan, Myanmar and Thailand.
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