*********************************************************
The Secretary for Economic Development and Labour, Mr Stephen Ip, today (November 20) signed on behalf of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region an Air Services Agreement with the Government of the United Mexican States in Hong Kong.
Representing the Government of the United Mexican States at the signing ceremony was Mr Mario Leal Campos, Consul General of Mexico in Hong Kong.
Mexico is the second aviation partner in the Latin America which has signed an Air Services Agreement with Hong Kong. Mexico has an extensive aviation network in the North and Latin Americas. Establishing air links between Hong Kong and Mexico would encourage more passenger and cargo traffic between the two places, and further expand the air services network of Hong Kong.
"The Air Services Agreement signed today provides a legal framework for the establishment of air links between Hong Kong and Mexico. It opens a new chapter in the development of air services between the two places," said Mr Ip at the signing ceremony.
"To enhance Hong Kong's position as an international and regional aviation centre, we will continue to expand our air services network in line with our progressive liberalisation policy in aviation," Mr Ip added.
The Air Services Agreement with Mexico is Hong Kong's 57th Air Services Agreement with foreign aviation partners.
Hong Kong has signed Air Services Agreements with Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the USA and Vietnam.
Ends/Monday, November 20, 2006
Issued at HKT 15:17
NNNN
