STL visits Tianjin (with photos)

The Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, attended the 11th China Air Finance Development (DFTP) Summit in Tianjin today (September 26).

This year's summit, with the theme "Openness Leads, Multi-dimensions Surge, New Chances for China's Air Finance", brings together representatives from various sectors of the aviation industry to exchange views on topics including the opportunities and challenges of China's air finance, as well as the current status and future trends of international aircraft leasing enterprises.

In his speech at the opening ceremony of the Summit, Mr Lam said that the global aircraft leasing market has changed rapidly in recent years. The Dongjiang Free Trade Port Zone is the largest aircraft leasing hub in China and the second largest in the world. The delivery of the domestic C919 aircraft has also brought greater momentum to Dongjiang's rapid growth. The co-operation between Hong Kong and Dongjiang will provide new driving forces and opportunities for the development of the aircraft leasing industry.

"With the support of our motherland, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has been leveraging the strengths of its sound legal and banking systems, well-developed and diversified capital markets, excellent aviation infrastructure and talent as well as the city's proximity to the huge Mainland market to help Mainland enterprises go global while attracting foreign investments. Hong Kong, together with the Dongjiang Free Trade Port Zone, will establish closer co-operation to jointly promote the development of the aircraft leasing industry, offering more opportunities and options for airlines around the world and making more contributions to the global air transport industry," Mr Lam said.

Mr Lam then met with representatives of the Administrative Commission of the Tianjin Dongjiang Free Trade Port Zone and aircraft leasing and financing companies to introduce Hong Kong's advantages in the aviation industry, including the latest developments in aircraft leasing policies and the preferential tax regime.

â€‹Mr Lam concluded his two-day visit to Beijing and Tianjin and will return to Hong Kong this evening.