Shenzhen Airport will soon offer helicopter service to Hong Kong and Macao, the chairman of the board of Shenzhen Airport Group Co. Ltd. announced.

At a function to mark the airport's 10th anniversary Tuesday, Lu Shenghai said prospect of cooperation among the airports in the three places is fine.

According to Lu, cooperation between his airport and Hong Kong Airport has been carried out step by step. There are 12 bus shuttles from Shenzhen to the Hong Kong Airport daily, in addition to speed boat service between the two.

More than 20 air companies are operating 81 flights from Shenzhen airports to 51 cities. Shenzhen Airport expects a 14 percent rise in the number of passengers this year, bringing the total to 7.3 million, said Lu.

Last year, Shenzhen Airport handled more than 200,000 tons of cargo and mail.

The city of Shenzhen, which faces Hong Kong across a local river, and its adjacent areas make up one of China's largest regions for the collection, distribution and processing of consumer goods for foreign trade.

(People’s Daily 10/10/2001)