Director-general of civil aviation explores low-altitude economy initiatives in guangzhou and shenzhen, discusses collaboration opportunities with aviation authorities and units
The Director-General of Civil Aviation, Mr Victor Liu, visited Guangzhou and Shenzhen between June 24 and 25, and paid courtesy calls on various aviation authorities and units to understand the regulatory framework and practical implementation of low-altitude economy (LAE) and advanced air-mobility initiatives.
Mr Liu met the Director-General of the Central and Southern Regional Administration of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), Mr Li Shuangchen, heads of respective divisions and the Guangzhou Airworthiness Certification Centre of the CAAC. Mr Liu was briefed on the latest status of LAE activities in Guangdong, and the oversight arrangements of unmanned aircraft in many aspects regarding airworthiness, remote pilots, operations and air traffic management.
Mr Liu said that with the support of the CAAC, the Civil Aviation Department will continue to strengthen mutual collaboration and seize opportunities in accordance with the directions of the National 14th Five-Year Plan and the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
During his stay in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, Mr Liu also visited several entities to observe the production, maintenance, operation and surveillance of unmanned aircraft systems, and understand the latest developments of the industry.
The delegation included Deputy Secretary for Transport and Logistics Ms Joan Hung; Deputy Director-General of Civil Aviation Mr Dominic Chow; the Assistant Director-General of Civil Aviation (Airport Standards), Miss Clara Wong; and the Assistant Director-General of Civil Aviation (Flight Standards), Mr Michael Yuen.
The Department has been meeting legislators and industry stakeholders to solicit views on fostering a low-altitude economy based on the actual needs and circumstances of Hong Kong.
Mr Liu will return to Hong Kong today (June 25).
DGCA visits Guangzhou and Shenzhen Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
DGCA visits Guangzhou and Shenzhen Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Remarks by CE at media session before ExCo (with video)
Following are the remarks by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at a media session before the Executive Council meeting today (October 22):
Reporter: Good morning, Mr Lee. A few questions. Last year, you set a total of 150 indicators for specified tasks, and completed all of them but six in your Policy Address, and this year, 138 indicators. How do you see the success rate for last year and how many of them the Government can complete this year? For the second question, as the first phase of disposable plastics ban is now in full force, what can businesses expect to happen in terms of enforcement action, and when the second phase could begin? Thank you.
Chief Executive: I set indicators for the purpose of, first of all, ensuring that the result-oriented culture will be fully established and practised in the Government. This is a new policy, which was introduced when I assumed office in 2022. I am glad to see that, overall, the performance in this area has been satisfying my requirement. Last year, there were six items that did not meet the original target time, but there are reasons which I think I can accept, because the purpose of setting all these indicators is to ensure that we produce the results we want, and also, if there are situations where we can produce even better results, and some time may be taken to ensure that, I think that is a reasonable thing to do. Six out of 150, I think, is a result that is conforming to my requirement.
One more important thing of setting all these indicators is that indicators are means; indicators are not themselves an end. We must see how these indicators will work for us. What is important, other than the number that has been indicated to you, i.e., that over 140 targets have been met satisfactorily, is also to look for other indicators which come out very objectively. These are international indicators, as I have mentioned in my Policy Address. For all these results, the purpose is to check whether the policy directives have been correctly set, because I believe if I set the policy directives in the right direction, then I will reach my goal eventually, which will mean overall good for Hong Kong. I am glad to see that in these almost two and a half years of governance and also the new measures that we have introduced, the position of Hong Kong as an international financial centre has increased one position, so we have come back in the top three as an international financial centre. The measures we have taken are bringing results. Also, in regard to talent, the position of competitiveness has actually increased seven positions, and we have become within the top 10 in regard to talent. Also, for overall competitiveness internationally, we have moved up two positions, and we are the fifth most competitive economy.
We have the indicators I have set in the Policy Address, which I used to check whether the policy directions are set rightly, and also we do produce a result-oriented government. If there are things that we can do even better after the first indicators were set, and we proceed in that direction, then I think it is the result that I want, because, I want to repeat again: indicators are means to ensure that we achieve the end result we want. Internationally, these very objective indicators have shown that the policy directives have been set in the right direction. Thanks to the efforts of the Government and the community as a whole, we have actually produced good results and good success in some very important areas.
Regarding the plastic-free culture we want to build, we have already finished the first phase, which was the six-month adaptation period for the first phase of plastic products to be, first of all, no longer provided and also not offered for sale. I think this six-month adaptation period has gone on smoothly. Generally, I think the culture has been built, but of course, if, after this adaptation period, there are still occasions where the requirements have not been followed, we will take enforcement action. I think it is important to know that changing culture in this area really takes quite some time, so my policy is, while we need to have punishment, I mainly want this behavioural change to be one that will be taken on board by the majority of the people. It is not heavily punitive; rather, it is through allowing people to change behaviour, so that the community has more or less accepted this plastic-free culture.
I am glad to see that there are good results in the catering sector, in the building management sector, and in the hotel sector, which indicated that there has been a lot of disposable cutlery saved as a result of this plastic-free culture we want to build. Also, we will try to help industries or businesses to go through this process, so we will give people a reasonable period to correct. The responsible department, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), has already indicated we will give 10 days for people to correct if it is discovered during their checks. Of course, if no correction is taken after 10 days, then enforcement action will be taken, and they will be punished in accordance with the law.
As regards the future, I think we want to go on to ensure that this plastic-free culture is more entrenched. We will, first of all, prepare society and the businesses, particularly when we decide as to how we will go to the next stage, i.e., whether there will be sufficient alternative products available in the market for society to move smoothly into the next stage and, more importantly, affordable prices, because what we learned from the first phase is, despite the fact that we all subscribe to this plastic-free culture, it is an important change of behaviour; we also want businesses to be able to go through the process in a smooth manner, and people to be paying an affordable price for all this change of behaviour. These are the serious considerations the EEB (Environment and Ecology Bureau) will bear in mind to design how we proceed further.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.)
