The future of Asia Pacific aviation took centre stage today with the official opening of Airspace Asia Pacific, the region’s premier dedicated air traffic management (ATM) exhibition. The landmark event, held in Hong Kong, convened an unprecedented gathering of the region’s most influential aviation authorities and industry leaders.
The opening ceremony was graced by an exceptional assembly of VIPs, underscoring the event’s significance. Distinguished guests in attendance included:
- Mr Simon Hocquard, President and CEO, CANSO
- MIAO Xuan, Director General of Air Traffic Management Bureau, CAAC
- Ms Mable Chan – Secretary for Transport and Logistics Hong Kong Special Administrative Regional Government
- Mr Han Kok-Juan, Chairman of APC3 and Director-General, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS)
- Mr Simon LI, President of Hong Kong International Aviation Academy
- Mr Victor LIU Chi-yung, Director General of Civil Aviation, Hong Kong, China
- Mr Tim Arel, Chair of the CANSO Board of Directors
- MA Bing, Deputy Administrator, Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC)
- MA Tao, Regional Director, ICAO Asia and Pacific Office
In his inaugural address, Mr. Simon Hocquard, President and CEO of CANSO, welcomed the delegates and set the vision for the exhibition. “Today marks the start of something new,” he declared. “Asia Pacific is where aviation’s future is being shaped—through rapid traffic growth, major airport development, and increasingly complex airspace needs. Airspace Asia Pacific exists because this region deserves a place to come together, exchange ideas, and build solutions tailored to its unique challenges.”
Ms Chan in her opening remarks outlined the critical realities driving the need for this platform: the world’s fastest-growing air traffic straining capacity, the region’s vast operational diversity, the integration of new airspace users, and the fundamental challenge of achieving interoperability. “These issues cannot be solved within national borders,” she emphasised. “They require collaboration, shared investment, and common ambition.”
Mr. Miao positioned the Airspace Asia Pacific as a crucial engine for practical progress. “This event is the perfect environment to spark conversations about new business models, co-development, and practical implementation. It is designed to strengthen relationships, encourage dialogue, and turn ambition into action.”
The ceremony concluded with a powerful call to collective action, framing the core mission of the week: “How do we build an ATM system capable of supporting the next decades of Asia-Pacific growth? And equally: How do we do it sustainably, efficiently, and together? Welcome to Airspace Asia Pacific. Let’s shape the future of the region—together.”
