New flight routes between Hong Kong and Central Asia would strengthen the city’s status as a key aviation hub and provide alternative links for cargo going to and from Europe, the head of Airport Authority Hong Kong said on Sunday.

Speaking on Commercial Radio, Fred Lam Tin-fuk, AAHK chairman, said Central Asia, with its routes connecting Russia to the north and the Middle East to the south, could become a new corridor to channel cargo traffic between the territory and Europe.

Lam said 13 percent of cargo flown between the Hong Kong International Airport and continent passed through the Middle East, but this has been adversely affected by the conflict in the region and by US tariffs.  

This could be alleviated with direct flights between Hong Kong and Almaty, the capital of Kazakhstan, set to resume in the first quarter of 2027 after a memorandum of understanding was signed during Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu's visit to Central Asia earlier this week.

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Following the MoU, Hong Kong's flag carrier Cathay Pacific said it plans to launch three flights a week to Almaty in the first quarter of next year.

During Lee’s visit to Uzbekistan, Vivian Cheung, AAHK chief executive officer, also exchanged a signed MoU with Dilshod Hodjaev, chief executive officer of Fly Khiva Group, to deepen cooperation, including in building comprehensive passenger and cargo air connectivity, according to an AAHK statement.

Uzbekistan-based Fly Khiva Group operates passenger services across Central Asia, Europe and the Middle East, as well as cargo services. It has been operating cargo flights between Hong Kong and Uzbekistan since 2024.

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The HKSAR government also completed the signing of an air services agreement with Uzbekistan during Lee's visit, allowing airlines from both sides to operate flights using these routes, the AAHK statement said.

“HKIA has been proactively expanding its aviation network, particularly along Belt and Road markets, with Central Asia representing a strategically important region,” Lam was quoted as saying in the statement.

He said the signing of these MoUs provides a strong foundation for closer connectivity between Hong Kong and Central Asia, enhancing the flow of passengers, cargo and business opportunities.