TNAG-0938-FCO40-1157-Visit-of-John-Nott--Secretary-of-State-for-Trade--to-Hong-Ko-1980 — Page 256

Brief No 8/4

SECRETARY OF STATES VISIT TO HONG KONG

CHEK LAP KOK AIRFORT

BRIEF BY OVERSEAS PROJECTS GROUP

Line to take

At this stage a UK initiative would be inappropriate but any information

volunteered by the Hong Kong authorities would be useful to OPG and the

British Trade Commission.

Background

1.

The Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department has appointed a team of consultants led by Ralph M Parsons of the USA to do an engineering feasibility study for the proposed second Hong Kong airport at CHEK LAP KOK. The British Civil Aviation Authority and the architects Collens, Melvan and Ward are members of the Parsons group.

2. It has recently been announced that the decision on the new airport has been deferred for another year. The consultants report is due for submission in March followed by a further report in September. These reports will be studied in conjunction with the second report on the Lantau Fixed Crossing submitted to the Hong Kong Public Works Department at the end of 1979. If the project goes ahead, the next step will be the commissioning of a detailed design study.

3. The UK Civil Aviation Authority has also visited Hong Kong to discuss its role in advising on airport equipment (radars etc) for the airport with the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department. The CAA's view is that there are good prospects for the sale of UK equipment but the design contract is likely to go to Parsons. The British Trade Commission is keeping OPG informed of developments.

It. An alternative proposal has been put forward by Andrew Jean and Associates (a firm of Hong Kong entrepreneurs) for the construction of the second Hong Kong airport on the Chinese side of the border at Deep Bay, to be financed by the Hong Kong and Chinese Governments (HK dollars 600.billion each) and an unidentified syndicate of Hong Kong, Amarican and overseas Chinese businessmen (HK dollars 800 million). There is no evidence to suggest that the Chinese have approved the building of an airport and the line being taken in Hong Kong is that the examination of the need for a second airport has not been completed and no decision will be taken until after receipt of the consultants reports.