The Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok and nine other related infrastructure projects - known as the Airport Core Programme (ACP) - has been acclaimed as one of the top 10 construction achievements of the 20th Century.

The ACP is the only project in Asia that has been given such distinguished recognition. The Chief Executive, Mr. Tung Chee Hwa, said that he was pleased with the award and the Hong Kong community should take pride in our new airport as it has gained a reputation for excellence around the globe.

On hand to receive the award at the CONEXPO-CON/AGG '99 exhibition in Las Vegas (US), was the Chairman of the Airport Authority, Mr. Wong Po-yan.

The exhibition has been billed as the last major international construction industry exhibition this century. The expo has attracted more than 1,850 exhibitors and 100,000 visitors from 110 countries.

The other nine awarded projects were (in no particular order) the Panama Canal, Egypt's Aswan High Dam, the Anglo-French Channel Tunnel, the Dwight D Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defence Highways, the Empire State Building, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Hoover Dam, the Sydney Opera House, and New York's World Trade Centre.

"It is an incredible honour to be here today to collect this award on behalf of the Airport Authority and the many contractors who built the new airport and its related infrastructure," Mr. Wong said at the ceremony. "It also gives me enormous pride to accept this on behalf of the people of Hong Kong, whose vision, enterprise and hard work made this great civil engineering project a reality in just seven years."

Mr. Wong said the new airport had its fair share of teething problems when it opened in July, 1998, but they were short-lived and were swiftly resolved. Today, the new airport operates highly efficiently, handling an average of more than 80,000 passengers and 450 flights daily. Since opening, the new airport has won acclaim from aviation, travel and construction industry critics, Mr. Wong said, adding that the majority of users were satisfied with airport services.

The Top 10 were selected in a poll of more than 120 projects by an international panel of industry executives and editors. As criteria each project had to demonstrate a strong impact or benefit to the humanity; a measurable economic impact; overall value for the community or region in which it is located; professional recognition; innovation and the use of new technology; impact on sensitivity to the environment; and an influence on future projects.

For further information please contact Chief Information Officer, Frank Chuan at telephone no.: (416) 924-5544.

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