TNAG-2212-FCO40-3172-Hong-Kong-annual-report-for-1990-1991 — Page 93

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IX PORT AND AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

34. The Hong Kong Government have continued to implement

the Port and Airport Strategy. Port development is mostly

financed by the private sector, while it is intended that the airport, with its considerable associated

infrastructure, will be financed by both the Government and

the private sector.

(a) The airport

35.

Good progress was made on the new airport and related

infrastructure projects in the course of 1990. A number of engineering, feasibility and financial studies were

commissioned and some of the first work contracts were also

let.

A Provisional Airport Authority was established in

April to take forward planning and development. This will

be replaced by the Airport Authority proper in late 1991 or

early 1992. In October 1990, the Hong Kong Government

announced that they would finance the building of the Lantau

Fixed Crossing linking the airport with urban Kowloon. This

Crossing comprises two major structures, one of which, the

Tsing Ma Bridge, will rank amongst the world's foremost

suspension bridges.

36. The Government and the Hong Kong Government have sought

to encourage the Chinese Government to support the project.

During Mr Francis Maude's visit to Peking in July 1990 the

Chinese Prime Minister, Mr Li Peng, acknowledged that Hong Kong needed a new airport but made it clear that the Chinese Government could not give a substantive view until their own experts had assessed the feasibility of the project. A team of Chinese experts visited Hong Kong in October 1990 for a

detailed briefing on the financial and technical aspects of

the project. Two further rounds of expert talks were held in Peking in January and March 1991. The Governor also discussed the airport with Chinese leaders when he visited Peking on 21-23 January, and again with Mr Lu Ping when he

visited Hong Kong in March.

ALAAEV/13

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