U.S. and Hong Kong (2000)

U.S. Department of Transportation
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.

News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, February 22, 2000

DOT 37-00
Contact: Bill Mosley
Tel.: (202) 366-5571

U.S. Transportation Secretary Slater Visits Asia to Promote President Clinton's Transportation Policies

U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater is traveling in Asia this week to promote transportation policies that foster President Clinton's and Vice President Gore's goals of prosperity, stability and democracy.

"One-third of the world's people live in Asia, and its $7 trillion economy will significantly impact America's destiny," Secretary Slater said. "It is essential that the United States and its transportation partners encourage a climate of innovation in order to produce a safe and sustainable global transportation system that anticipates and responds to the needs of the new century and new millennium -- one that is international in reach, intermodal in form, intelligent in character and inclusive in service."

The Secretary will meet with his transportation counterparts and other government officials in Singapore, Hong Kong, Beijing and Tokyo to discuss the Department of Transportation's vision of a new policy architecture for transportation decision-making in the new millennium. The department's vision of transportation in the 21st century and its impact on the emerging global economy reflects the need to facilitate the predicted expansion of trade and tourism between the United States and its Asia-Pacific partners in the years ahead, the Secretary said.

The new transportation policy architecture the Secretary will discuss with Asian officials emphasizes policies that (1) increase regional cooperation among Asia-Pacific nations to implement policies that enhance safety and that liberalize, deregulate and, where appropriate, privatize services, (2) seek greater compatibility of standards and practices, and (3) encourage use of more environmentally friendly transportation products.

During his meetings, the Secretary will emphasize aviation, which he believes will be a driving force for economic development in the 21st century. He will advocate a more open aviation system in Asia, based on plurilateral or multilateral agreements among groups of like-minded countries. This approach builds on the successful conference "Aviation in the 21st Century -- Beyond Open Skies" hosted by Secretary Slater in Chicago last December. At this conference, aviation ministers and other leaders representing over 90 countries discussed the challenges and opportunities facing international aviation in the 21st century and the new millennium. The 1999 Chicago conference was a follow-up to the historic 1944 Chicago Convention which established the international aviation regime that has guided aviation policy over the last 55 years. The United States currently has Open Skies agreements, which remove restrictions on aviation services between the partner nations, with 43 nations around the world, and has six Open Skies partners in the Asia-Pacific region -- Brunei, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan. The United States has a liberalized agreement, less than full open skies, with Japan.

At all stops, the Secretary will discuss the transportation impact of the anticipated entry of China into the World Trade Organization (WTO) and underscore the Clinton administration's support for China's admission. Secretary Slater said that the administration intends to seek Permanent National Trade Relations status for China -- a designation formerly known as Most Favored Nation status -- and that he expects this process will move forward once China is admitted to the WTO. He stressed the importance of China's implementation of its current agreements with the United States and other countries, and that China demonstrate its commitment to open trade and market access.

Secretary Slater also will discuss the transportation demands imposed by electronic commerce, which already accounts for one-third of the real growth in the U.S. economy, and urge increased cooperation among Asia-Pacific nations to deal appropriately with e-commerce concerns of transportation businesses, particularly airlines and express delivery companies.

Singapore

In Singapore on Feb. 22, Secretary Slater will meet with ministers of transport from Asia-Pacific nations, whom he will urge to move forward on region-wide transportation liberalization. He will tour the U.S. pavilion at the Asian Aerospace 2000 Exhibition, the region's premier aerospace event. He will also will meet with Singapore Minister of Communications Yeo Cheow Tong and speak at a breakfast meeting of the U.S. ASEAN Business Council.

Hong Kong

In Hong Kong on Feb. 23, Secretary Slater will promote a liberalized air services agreement and discuss maritime access concerns. He will meet with Hong Kong Chief Executive C. H. Tung, and will discuss Open Skies and aviation relations at a luncheon hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce. He also will tour the CSX terminal at Hong Kong Harbor, and will meet with Hong Kong Airport Authority CEO Billy Lam while touring the airport's multimodal projects and facilities of Federal Express and United Parcel Service.

Beijing

In Beijing on Feb. 24, the Secretary will advance the case for a U.S.-China Open Skies aviation agreement. He will meet with Acting Civil Aviation Administration of China Minister Shen Yuankang, Minister of Communications Zhendong Huang and Minister of Railways Zhihuan Fu.

Tokyo

In Tokyo, the Secretary will discuss both aviation and maritime access issues. On Feb. 25, he will meet with Minister of Transport Toshihiro Nikai. On Feb. 26 he will tour Narita Airport and meet with representatives of U.S. air carriers.

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