XN000022-1987-05-02 — Page 2

SATURDAY, MAY 2, 1987

UK AVIATION MINISTER DEPARTS FOR TALKS IN CHINA

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THE U.K. MINISTER FOR AVIATION, MR MICHAEL SPICER, LEFT HONG KONG FOR PEKING THIS (SATURDAY) AFTERNOON TO HAVE TALKS WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ON CIVIL AVIATION MATTERS.

DURING HIS FOUR-DAY VISIT IN HONG KONG, HE HAD MET WITH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AS WELL AS REPRESENTATIVES FROM DIFFERENT AIRLINES.

BEFORE DEPARTURE, HE TOLD REPORTERS AT THE AIRPORT THAT HE WILL BE DISCUSSING WITH CHINESE OFFICIALS TOPICS OF MUTUAL INTEREST BETWEEN CHINA AND THE UNITED KINGDOM, AND PARTICULARLY MATTERS ABOUT HONG KONG.

HE NOTED THAT THERE WERE STRUCTURAL CHANGES BEING CONSIDERED IN CHINESE AVIATION MATTERS WHICH MIGHT HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH THE COMING DISCUSSIONS,

MR SPICER ALSO POINTED OUT THAT CAAC HAD MANY MORE FLIGHTS THAN CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND PEKING AND HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE LESS OF AN UNBALANCED RELATIONSHIP IN THAT AIR SERVICE LINK.

+ I THINK SOME PEOPLE WHO FLY THE ROUTE CURRENTLY ARE FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO GET SEATS, AND THERE MAY WELL BE A CASE I WOULD ARGUE CERTAINLY FOR EXTRA CAPACITY ON THAT ROUTE,+ HE SAID.

IN ADDITION, MR SPICER SAID HE WOULD ARGUE THE CASE FOR REGIONAL ROUTES.

*AS YOU KNOW, DRAGONAIR HAVE GOT APPLICATIONS FOR VARIOUS ROUTES INTO MAINLAND CHINA AND I SHALL BE PUTTING THE CASE FOR THOSE ROUTES, TOO, HE CONTINUED.

FINALLY, HE SAID HE BELIEVED THE COMING DISUSSIONS WOULD BE FRIENDLY AND POSITIVE AND HE WOULD KNOW MORE WHEN HE RETURN TO HONG KONG NEXT SATURDAY,

CENTRAL-KWUN TONG FERRY SERVICE WITHDRAWN

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THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT REMINDED THE PUBLIC TODAY (SATURDAY) THAT THE PASSENGER FERRY SERVICE BETWEEN CENTRAL AND KWUN TONG OPERATED BY THE HONGKONG AND YAUMATI FERRY COMPANY (HYF) WILL BE WITHDRAWN FROM MONDAY (MAY 4).

THE SERVICE HAS BEEN OPERATING ONLY DURING THE MORNING AND EVENING PEAK HOURS FROM MONDAYS TO FRIDAYS AND DURING THE MORNING PEAK HOURS ON SATURDAYS.

TO COPE