Air-tight: Secretary for Economic Development & Labour Stephen Ip exchanges documents with Serik Akhmetov, Minister of Transport & Communication of the Republic of Kazakhstan, after signing the air-services pact.

Hong Kong and the Republic of Kazakhstan have signed an air-services agreement to strengthen the cultural, trade and economic ties between the two places. This is Hong Kong's 58th air-services pact with foreign aviation partners.

Secretary for Economic Development & Labour Stephen Ip and Kazakhstan's Minister of Transport & Communication Serik Akhmetov today signed the agreement.

Kazakhstan, located between Asia and Europe, is Hong Kong's first aviation partner in the Central Asia region. 

Mr Ip said the agreement provides a legal framework for the establishment of air links between Hong Kong and Kazakhstan.