Hong Kong Hosts Major International Aviation Conferences, Reinforcing Its Status as a Key Aviation Hub

Large-scale international aviation exhibition and conferences conclude in Hong Kong

Hong Kong marked a significant milestone in regional aviation by holding two large-scale international exhibition and conferences, the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) Asia Pacific Conference 2025 and the Airspace Asia Pacific 2025.

The Director-General of Civil Aviation, Mr Victor Liu, said that holding these important international meetings in Hong Kong had demonstrated Hong Kong's status as an international aviation hub. The Civil Aviation Department (CAD) has actively participated in and supported these international aviation meetings hosted by CANSO, and will continue to collaborate with international aviation partners and stakeholders to enhance the development of air traffic management and low-altitude traffic management.

The Airspace Asia Pacific 2025 was held for three days at AsiaWorld-Expo, and concluded today (December 11). Being the first Asia-Pacific exhibition and conference under the Airspace World, the event, themed "Shaping the Future of Asia Pacific's Skies", has brought together over 2 000 decision-makers from air navigation service providers, professionals, regulatory bodies, and innovative technology companies from around the world, collectively driving global air traffic into a new era of digitisation and intelligence.

Key guests officiating at the opening ceremony included the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan; the President and Chief Executive Officer of CANSO, Mr Simon Hocquard; the Deputy Administrator of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), Mr Ma Bing; the Director-General of the Air Traffic Management Bureau (ATMB) of the CAAC, Mr Miao Xuan; Mr Liu and theRegional Director of the Asia Pacific Office of theInternational Civil Aviation Organization, Mr Ma Tao. Before the start of the conference, all participants stood and observeda moment of silence to mourn the victims of the Tai Po fire.

The exhibition and conference featured multiple keynote sessions and panel discussions focusing on exploring the most significant challenges and opportunities in air traffic management. Topics covered the low-altitude economy, green aviation, AI and climate challenges, etc. The event also attracted over 70 exhibitors presenting cutting-edge technologies in air traffic management, low-altitude traffic management, AI applications, and emerging aviation technologies, driving the industry towards a sustainable future with digitalisation and automation, thus creating a safe, seamless, and green airspace.

Mr Liu was also invited to deliver an opening speech at the CANSO Asia Pacific Conference 2025 on December 8. Echoing the theme of "Seamless Asia Pacific Airspace - Aviation and Meteorology Integration" this year, Mr Liu shared how Hong Kong utilises meteorological data to respond to severe and unpredictable climate changes to ensure aviation safety.

During the event, Mr Liu also met with a number of delegates, including the Director-General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, Mr Han Kok-juan; the Counsellor for Civil Aviation, Aviation Industry and Space from the Embassy of France in China, Mrs Marion Okunowski; the Director General of the EUROCONTROL, Mr Raúl Medina; and the Chief Executive Officer of National Air Traffic Services, Mr Martin Rolfe, to exchange views on issues of mutual concern.

The CAD also took the opportunity to invite the CAAC delegation, including Mr Ma Bing, Mr Miao, and the Director-General of the Central and Southern Regional Administration of the CAAC, Mr Li Shuangchen, to attend the sharing session themed "Quest for dreams, Pay tribute to the era", jointly organised by the Central and Southern Regional Administration and theATMB of the CAAC, and the CAD. Representatives of young civil aviation practitioners from the Mainland, Hong Kong, and Macao shared their experiences and insights from the exchange programme. At the same time, the delegation also visited the exhibition galleries on "Uprising of the Two Airlines" and "Our Country's Achievements in Civil Aviation Development since the founding of the People's Republic of China" at the CAD Aviation Education Path.

Large-scale international aviation exhibition and conferences conclude in Hong Kong Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Large-scale international aviation exhibition and conferences conclude in Hong Kong Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Large-scale international aviation exhibition and conferences conclude in Hong Kong Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Large-scale international aviation exhibition and conferences conclude in Hong Kong Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Large-scale international aviation exhibition and conferences conclude in Hong Kong Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Large-scale international aviation exhibition and conferences conclude in Hong Kong Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Large-scale international aviation exhibition and conferences conclude in Hong Kong Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Re-launch of Reporting Scheme for Unauthorised Building Works in New Territories Exempted Houses

Following the direction of earlier proposals, the Buildings Department (BD) announced today (April 1) the re-launch of the Reporting Scheme for Unauthorised Building Works (UBWs) in New Territories Exempted Houses (NTEHs). The reporting period will last for one year from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.

"In view of the history and unique circumstances of the NTEHs (commonly known as village houses), the Government launched a one-off administrative reporting scheme in 2012 as a special arrangement. Under the scheme, owners could report to the BD about UBWs that were erected before June 28, 2011, posed lower risks or constituted less serious contravention of the law. The reporting period ended in December 2012. The Development Bureau (DEVB) put forward proposals to amend the Buildings Ordinance in December 2024, which included rationalising the policy for handling UBWs. The DEVB also pointed out that in response to the views of villagers and Legislative Council members that the reporting period was too short, the Government prepared to re-launch the Reporting Scheme to allow owners who at that time did not report their UBWs to do so," a spokesman for the BD said.

Relevant stakeholders and Legislative Council members generally considered the above proposals practical and feasible, and they welcomed the proposals. The DEVB and the BD have also consulted Heung Yee Kuk on the relevant implementation arrangements.

The re-launched Reporting Scheme will maintain the original criteria, including:

(1) The types of UBWs that can be reported and their erection dates are the same as the original Reporting Scheme, meaning that only UBWs erected before June 28, 2011, posed lower risks or constituted less serious contravention of the law and were not the First Round Targets (Note) are eligible. Examples include signboards projecting from the external walls of village houses; enclosed rooftop structures with a coverage of not more than 50 per cent of the roofed-over area of the main building.

(2) Same as the original Reporting Scheme, owners are required to conduct safety inspections on the reported UBWs every five years.

"The BD will not require the immediate removal of the reported UBWs unless their structures become obviously dangerous. Regarding UBWs in village houses, the BD is prioritising the handling of First Round Targets. If any relevant UBWs remain not reported after the application deadline of March 31, 2027, the BD will, after dealing with the First Round Targets, take priority enforcement action against the non-reported UBWs. The BD will formulate enforcement strategy for the reported UBWs at a later stage in accordance with the risks and the actual situation," the spokesman added.

To enhance the efficiency of processing applications, reports must be submitted via the electronic platform on the BD's website by technically competent persons or registered professional engineers appointed by owners. In accordance with the user-pays principle, an administrative fee of $600 is payable for each application. Upon successful reports, owners must also pay the relevant administrative fee when conducting safety inspections of the reported UBWs every five years.

Details of the re-launched Reporting Scheme are available on the BD's website at https://www.bd.gov.hk/en/safety-inspection/ubw/UBW-in-new-territories-exempted-houses/index_relaunch_reporting_scheme.html; Villagers who wish to report can call 2626 1616 for enquiry. The BD will also use different channels such as distributing leaflets and posters to Rural Committees to enable villagers to know more about the re-launch of the Reporting Scheme.

Owners who had successfully participated in the Reporting Scheme in 2012 are not required to submit reports again. However, they must continue to comply with the requirements of the original Reporting Scheme, including conducting safety inspections of the reported UBWs every five years, submitting safety certificates and paying administrative fees to the BD.

Note: The First Round Targets refer to UBWs with higher potential risks and more serious nature, such as village houses of four storeys or more, and enclosed rooftop structures covering more than 50 per cent of the roofed-over area.

Source: AI-found images