Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) —  The authorities of Uzbekistan and Hong Kong have signed an air traffic agreement, as reported by the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan.

A delegation from the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan is participating in the ICAO ICAN 2024 international aviation event taking place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

As part of this event, the first meeting between the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan and the aviation authorities of Hong Kong was held.

Although Hong Kong is part of the People’s Republic of China, its aviation authorities operate independently due to its status as a Special Administrative Region. Hong Kong has the authority to make its own decisions regarding the use of its airspace and airports.

The population of Hong Kong is about 8 million people, with a GDP of $550 billion. Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Hong Kong is one of the leading financial centers in the world, thanks to high safety standards, economic growth, and tax freedom, as well as favorable investment conditions.

Hong Kong ranks highly among Asia-Pacific countries in the re-export of goods, benefiting from favorable tax conditions for entrepreneurs. A large portion of goods produced in China is re-exported through Hong Kong to Europe, the Middle East, Turkey, and Arab countries, making this region a crucial link in global trade.

Uzbekistan’s favorable geographical location allows it to play a significant transit role in the transportation of goods. Hong Kong also attracts the attention of major airlines worldwide due to its extensive geographical coverage for both passenger and cargo transport.

The agreement reached with the aviation authorities of Hong Kong will open new opportunities for Uzbek airlines, increasing tourist inflow and stimulating cargo transit through the country to Europe, Turkey, and other regions. This will be an important step in developing trade and economic relations between Uzbekistan and Hong Kong.

Hong Kong International Airport serves 40 million passengers annually, conducts over 270,000 takeoff and landing operations, and transports 4.3 million tons of cargo. More than 120 airlines operate flights from this airport to over 220 destinations.

Previously, the aviation authorities of Hong Kong had denied requests from the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan to establish air traffic due to high airport congestion. However, with the introduction of a new runway and increased airport capacity, new opportunities have arisen for both Uzbek and Hong Kong airlines. This will create favorable conditions for the development of trade, logistics, and tourism between the countries.