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073155
MDHIAN 6293
VISIT THE SITE BY THE LOCAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY. EN ROUTE WE WERE SHOWN THE LOCATION OF THE PROPOSED MAJOR NEW BRIDGE AND EXPRESSWAY
WHICH WILL, LINK FUZHOU TO THE AIRPORT. JOURNEY BY EXISTING ROAD
TOOK NINETY MINUTES. THIS TIME WILL BE MORE THAN HALVED BY NEW EXPRESSWAY.
5.
THE SITE IS GOOD. LEVEL GROUND CLOSE TO THE SEA. MINIMAL
DISRUPTION TO ENVIRONMENT OR POPULATION. MAJOR PROBLEM IS TIMING
WHEREBY EXPRESSWAY AND BRIDGE WILL BE COMPLETED ONE YEAR LATER
THAN AIRPORT.
6.
AT AFTERNOON MEETING WITH FUZHOU MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT AND
AIRPORT COSTRUCTION COMMITTEE DR TAN UNHELPFULLY REFERRED TO BRITISH GOVERNMENT SOFT LOANS. I TACTFULLY TALKED DOWN THIS IDEA SAYING THAT IF THEY GOT ON WITH EXPRESSWAY AND BRIDGE SO THAT ALL ELEMENTS OF THE PROJECT WERE COMPLETED SIMULTANEOUSLY I WAS CONFIDENT DR TAN WOULD BE ABLE TO FIND INVESTORS.
7.
AS ?8EED ACTICS WITH THE COMPANIES I EXPRESSED GREAT
INTEREST IN THE AIRPORT PROJECT SAYING WE HAD MUCH TO OFFER IN THE TECHNOLOGY REQUIRED AND MANAGEMENT SKILLS TO MAXIMISE THE BENEFIT TO FUZHOU OFFERED BY THE NEW AIRPORT. I OFFERED A FREE COMBINED STUDY BY BAA AND CAA ON THE MEANS OF MAXIMISING THE POTENTIAL AT
THE EXISTING AIRPORT AS AN INTERIM MEASURE.
8.
WE VOICED SUPPORT FOR TAN'S IDEA OF CREATING A CITY CHECK- IN FACILITY WITH DUTY FREE AND OTHER RETAIL OUTLETS. THIS WOULD RELIEVE THE CONGESTION AT THE AIRPORT, SPEED THE PROCESSING AND GIVE TAN AND BAA BOTH AN IMMEDIATE INTEREST AND IN THE SUBSEQUENT
AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT.
9.
CHINESE REACTION APPEARED POSITIVE TO ALL SUGGEST EXCEPT THOSE WHICH INVOLVED ACTION AT THE EXISTING AIRPORT. IT IS PROBABLE THAT THE CIVILIAN AUTHORITIES ARE NOT ABLE OR WILLING TO SEEK COOPERATION FROM THE MILITARY WHO OPERATE THE PRESENT
FACILITIES.
10.
FUZHOU AUTHORITIES SAID THEY NEEDED FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO HELP WITH THE AIRPORT BECAUSE OF THE COST OF OTHER IMPORTANT
PROJECTS.
I ASKED WHAT THESE WERE AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY INCLUDED NEW POTABLE WATER SUPPLIES, SEWAGE AND EFFLUENT TREATMENT PLANT, POWER DISTRIBUTION AND POWER GENERATION. FUZHOU IS VERY OBVIOUSLY A RAPIDLY GROWING CITY WITH A CONSIDERABLE PROGRAMME OF URBAN
RENEWAL.
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