Exclusive | Have more direct Hong Kong-Turkey flights to meet demand instead of 1 a day, envoy urges

Turkish Consul General Kerim Sercan Evcin highlights ‘huge potential’ for closer ties and increased trade between country and Hong Kong

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The Turkish consul general in Hong Kong has called for closer ties between the city and his country, including its biggest city, Istanbul (pictured). Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 10:30am, 17 Aug 2024Updated: 10:31am, 17 Aug 2024

This is the third in a series of interviews with consuls general of emerging and belt and road economies with which Hong Kong is keen to build ties. Read the first here and the second here.

Hong Kong can “consolidate” its role as a global hub by increasing the number of direct flights to Turkey, the country’s top representative to the city has said, as he pushed for greater connectivity between the two jurisdictions.

Consul General Kerim Sercan Evcin, in an exclusive interview with the Post, said there was “huge potential” to increase ties between Turkey and Hong Kong as he highlighted their shared position as global “superconnectors”.

“In order to make Hong Kong more global, in order to make Hong Kong more connected, and to consolidate its superconnector role, we are ready to increase our engagement with Hong Kong in terms of direct flights,” Evcin added.

“As long as Hong Kong increases its global connectivity, I believe it will continue to be a top notch place to attract all people.”

Hong Kong has fought hard to cement its aviation hub status, a vision laid down in Beijing’s latest five-year national plan and also set out in the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution.

SCMP Series

Meeting the ‘belt and road’ diplomats in Hong Kong

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