Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang (R) and Chief Executive of the  Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (China) Lee Ka-chiu (L) witness the exchange of the MoU between Vietnam Airlines and the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA). (Source: VNA)

The MoU is a milestone that is expected to contribute to enhancing economic, trade, and investment cooperation between Vietnam and  Hong Kong (China).

Apart from opening new air routes, they will work together to increase flight frequency to promote trade and tourism, while studying the establishment of strategic partnerships, stimulating tourism demand to promote the transportation of passengers and cargo, and improving the competitive edge of airports and the efficacy of aviation treaties. Along with coordinating to better transport and service quality through seeking new cooperation opportunities and forms, they will share practical experience, initiatives, and advanced technologies to improve operational efficiency. Through such cooperation, the sides are working toward international standards on passenger experience and cargo logistics, and sustainable development.

Particularly, they will support each other in developing human resources through training courses on air transport management, aviation security, crisis management, and air traffic control, among others, provided by the  Hong Kong International Aviation Academy. Vietnam Airlines has served more than 5.7 million passengers aboard over 46,000 flights since it launched the Vietnam – Hong Kong air route in November 1991. Currently, it is running seven round trips between  Hanoi and Hong Kong a week.

Over the past years, Vietnam and Hong Kong have enjoyed robust cooperation, with two-way trade reaching 31.3 billion USD in 2023. Vietnam is Hong Kong's second-largest trade partner in ASEAN and the seventh largest globally.