The body responsible for Hong Kong International Airport has called for a third runway to be constructed at the site.

Airport Authority Hong Kong (AA) insists the expansion is crucial to ensure the airport remains competitive and will cement its position as an international travel hub. This is due to increased demand and employment levels - it will provide 140,000 jobs by 2030. 

Dr Marvin Cheung Kin-tung, chairman of the AA, hailed 2013 as a record-breaking year. He announced passenger numbers of 60 million and 372,000 flight movements. The news was just as positive for logistics, with cargo throughput exceeding 4.1 million tonnes. "These traffic volumes are growing at faster-than-expected rates and reflect the increasingly pressing need to expand the airport into a three-runway system," he stated.

The authority is expected to submit its report into the environmental impact for the expansion to the Environmental Protection Department in the first quarter of the year.