Hong Kong International Airport will support the city by offering more value and attracting more businesses from across the world to operate in the city, the chairman of the Airport Authority Hong Kong said on Thursday.

Fred Lam Tin-fuk made the remarks during the Asia Forum 2025 - Hong Kong Night in Niigata, Japan.  The event is a highlight program under the annual forum to promote regional trade ties and cultural exchanges among Asian members of the Federation of Hong Kong Business Associations Worldwide.

The airport connected Hong Kong with the world, enhancing the city’s competitiveness by leveraging various strengths of the special administrative region as a business and innovation hub, he said.

“Hong Kong is a leading business and trading hub. At Hong Kong International Airport, we aim to support the city in meeting the next wave of competition by providing more value to businesses around the world and attracting more companies to invest and operate in Hong Kong,” the AAHK chairman said.

ALSO READ: HKIA world's busiest cargo airport, 9th in passenger traffic

HKIA must offer the highest standard of convenience and efficiency by extending air connectivity and leveraging technology, he stressed, adding that the Airport City development strategy set its sights on transforming the airport into a destination in its own right and attracting more passengers to visit or transfer at Hong Kong.

The airport could further contribute to enhancing Hong Kong’s status as a trading hub by capturing the opportunities of e-commerce, streamlining the logistics operations within the region with intermodal connections, and handling new asset classes such as art and gold storage, the chairman added.

Highlighting the city’s transformation from a manufacturing center to a premium business and trading hub with key advantages such as its free port status, as well as low and simple tax system, Lam also emphasized the city’s internationally recognized role as the world’s freest economy and related rankings.

At the same event, Winsome Au Wai-sum, principal representative at the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Representative in Tokyo, said Hong Kong was actively seeking early accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in a bid to contribute to regional prosperity, and has sought support from member associations of the Federation of Hong Kong Business Associations Worldwide.

The federation is a network of 49 Hong Kong Business Associations in 38 countries and regions. The member associations have strong business links to Hong Kong in their respective countries.

READ MORE: Chan: HKIA capacity 'fully restored' as holiday rush begins

Running May 21 to 23, the Asia Forum is an annual regional platform for the members of Hong Kong Business Associations to share experiences, build contacts and business interests.