WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1985
45
HK'S ROLE IN SHENZHEN AIRPORT PLAN EXPLAINED
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IN ANSWER TO QUESTIONS, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT SOME OF THE RECENT PRESS REPORTS ON THE QUESTION OF POSSIPLE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT WITH THE MOOTED SHENZHEN: INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT HAD BEEN MISLEADING.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT ANY DECISION TO BUILD AN AIRPORT ON THE CHINESE SIDE OF THE BORDER WAS ENTIRELY A MATTER FOR THE RELEVANT CHINESE AUTHORITIES.
THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT. IN RESPONSE TO AN INVITATION FROM CAAC GUANGZHOU, CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS HAD VISITED SHENZHEN ON NOVEMBER 6 AND 7 LAST TO DISCUSS MATTERS RELATING TO THE PLANNING OF A SHENZHEN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THE DISCUSSIONS HAD DEALT WITH A NUMBER OF IMPLICATIONS FOR HONG KONG OF THE SITING AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF SUCH AN AIRPORT, IN PARTICULAR THE OPERATIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF AN AIRPORT LOCATED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN THE COURSE OF THIS MEETING, THE CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS WERE ASKED TO COMMENT ON THE FEASIBILITY OF POSSIBLE SITES AND ALSO WHETHER THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT COULD ASSIST IN THE SELECTION AND BRIEFING OF SUITABLE CONSULTANTS FOR THIS PROJECT. THE CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVES UNDERTOOK TO CONVEY-- THESE REQUESTS TO THEIR HEADQUARTERS. HONG KONG GOVERNMENT PARTICIPATION IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN AIRPORT WAS NOT INVITED.
ON NOVEMBER 22, FOLLOWING DUE CONSIDERATION OF THE REQUESTS, CAAC GUANGZHOU WERE INFORMED THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT DID MOT HAVE THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO ASSIST IN SELECTING AND INSTRUCTING CONSULTANTS. COMMENTS ON A POSSIBLE DEEP BAY SITE WERE ALSO GIVEN.
AS IS WELL-KNOWN THIS IS A TIME OF FINANCIAL STRINGENCY FOR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. ADDITIONALLY, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT OFFICIALS OF THE CAD CONCERNED WITH AIRPORT PLANNING MATTERS, WHO WOULD BE BEST QUALIFIED TO LEND ASSISTANCE TO CAAC, ARE FULLY OCCUPIED WITH WORK ON THE EXTENSION OF THE AIRPORT TERMINAL BUILDING AT KAI TAK, AND WITH OTHER DEVELOPMENTS TO EXPAND HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CAPACITY OVERALL TO MEET PROJECTED TRAFFIC DEMANDS.
IT WAS POINTED OUT THAT THERE WERE MAJOR DIFFICULTIES ABOUT THE DEEP BAY SITE. IT WAS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH EXISTING AND PLANNED DEVELOPMENTS IN THE NORTH-WEST NEW TERRITORIES AND WOULD ALSO GIVE RISE TO UNACCEPTABLE LEVELS OF AIRCRAFT NOISE. IT MIGHT CONFLICT WITH PROPOSALS FOR FLOOD AND POLLUTION CONTROL IN THE SHENZHEN RIVER WHICH WERE UNDER DISCUSSIONS WITH THE SHENZHEN AUTHORITIES. THERE WOULD ALSO BE SEVERE PROBLEMS OF BIRD STRIKE FROM THE LARGE WILDFOWL POPULATION OF THE MAI PO MARSHES.
/HEPRESENTATIVES OF
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