CAM Attended the 8th Beijing Global Friend Airports CEO Forum

2022-09-27

The 8th Beijing Global Friend Airports CEO Forum was held in Beijing Daxing International Airport on 20th September 2022. It is the first in-person Forum held since the outbreak of COVID-19. As the epidemic development and immigration policies vary between different countries, the virtual meeting was held at the same time, civil aviation authorities, international transport organizations, and airports around the world which involve 96 units have participated. Macau International Airport Company Limited (CAM) was invited and represented by Executive Director, Mr. Kan Cheok Kuan and Director of Finance and Administration Department, Ms. Grace Cheang to join the meeting virtually.

This forum focused on the future development of airports in the post-epidemic era, and jointly discussed the paths and methods of re-establishing new concepts, reshaping new processes, and restarting new development in the new stage of the aviation industry's recovery and development. Representatives of various organizations and airports exchanged experience on the theme of “Share Experience on Efficiency and Cost Effectiveness, Cooperate for Prosperity”, discussed further cooperation and shared feasible suggestions based on the actual operation and development situation.

Ms. Liu Fang, leading member of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) delivered a speech at the opening ceremony. She expressed that CAAC is willing to communicate, share and cooperate on global basis with counterparts and promote airports to achieve the theme of this forum in five main aspects. These included: meeting the new needs of airport development in the post-epidemic era through reforms, and the epidemic has brought new changes and reshaped the development trend of the industry. For example, as the consumption habits of air passengers have changed, the automation level of airport operations is rapidly increasing whist, airports and airlines pay more attention to digital development, etc. CAAC has issued an action plan for the promotion of “airports with four salient features”. During the 14th Five Year Plan, it will be leaded by the construction of smart airports, and oriented by the construction of safe, green and human airports, to promote the building of airports that meet future development needs. The second is to achieve innovative development through digital transformation and the application of new technologies. Seize the development opportunities of the digital economy and artificial intelligence, promote airport intelligent management, implement industrial upgrading to reduce costs and advocate zero-contact operations to reduce the risk of epidemic spread. Through digital construction, the overall operational efficiency can be improved which is beneficial to improve the level of digital analysis and sharing as well as achieve more accurate and efficient supervision. The third is to promote the sustainable development of airports through green investment. The CAAC has issued the first plan named after green development in the history of China’s civil aviation. It has formulated long-term goals for 2035 and put forward 16 key tasks for various fields of civil aviation, clarified the specialization and schedule requirements to drive the achievement of goals. The fourth is to restore the development of airports by changing the business model and expanding investment. In order to provide passengers with comfortable travel experience, broad expansion of diversified business opportunities, more attention to be attached to non-passenger revenue business, establishment of new cooperation models with airport users and stakeholders, as well as renovation projects to be carried out to drive future-oriented airports during this less busy period. The fifth is to achieve win-win development by strengthening international exchanges and cooperation. In face with the current situation, participants in the global civil aviation industry should help each other, gather the strong forces of solidarity and mutual trust, improve the international exchange and cooperation mechanism, expand the exchange and cooperation channels, strengthen the application of new technologies at airports and manage service concepts, maintain information sharing and cooperation on the national and global industrial chains, and supply chain stability.

The CEO Forum is an important international platform for airports in China to have communication with the industry in the world. It has effectively played a platform role in promoting the image and policies of civil aviation of China, strengthening communication with international friendly airports, and promoting pragmatic cooperation. Macau International Airport will work together with colleagues in the industry to fully implement the new development concept, serve to build a new development pattern, and promote the high-quality and sustainable development of civil aviation.