Hong Kong looks to new cargo markets amid ongoing US-China trade war
September 25, 2025
Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is seeking to broaden its cargo network as the ongoing US-China trade dispute reshapes global supply chains, but volumes through the hub remain resilient, according to Fred Lam, chairman of the Airport Authority of Hong Kong.
Speaking at Routes World 2025 in Hong Kong, Lam said the city is adapting to changing trade flows while retaining its position as one of the world’s busiest freight gateways.
“We still see growth for the entire airport cargo sector [despite the US-China trade dispute]; we have seen very strong growth now to Europe, to the Middle East and also to South-East Asia and Australia,” he said.
Lam added that the changing trade environment and the importance of diversifying air cargo markets would be a “major shift” for airports such as his going forward.
“The impact from the tariffs is not going away soon,” he said.
The US-China trade conflict, now into its sixth year, has driven manufacturers and exporters to seek alternative routes and destinations for their goods.
While some cargo previously bound for the US has been redirected, Hong Kong has benefitted from strong demand in other regions, particularly Europe and Southeast Asia.
Hong Kong is also serving as a transit point for cargo that is bound for the US, but from markets that have replaced China, such as India, Lam said.
Hong Kong serves as a global cargo hub
The city’s extensive connectivity within the region and further afield, and its mature and highly integrated logistics ecosystem, mean it can weather the shocks of a trade war between the world’s two largest economies.
Lam also pointed to the potential for greater import growth into Hong Kong and mainland China, as the country and its special administrative region pivots toward a more consumption-driven economy.
“We feel that the government in China will continue to encourage consumption,” said Lam.
“At the moment, in our total trade portfolio, two thirds is exports, and only one third is imports. We believe there’s a lot of potential for us to encourage more imports into Hong Kong, This is an area where we can do a lot more,” he said.
HKIA took the top place in the 2024 ranking of the world’s busiest cargo airports compiled by Airports Council International (ACI) World.
The airport has been named the busiest cargo airport in the world for the fourteenth time since 2010. The airport handled 4.9 million tonnes of cargo during 2024.
In August, the latest month for which figures have been released, cargo volumes saw a year-on-year increase of 5.6% to 429,000 tonnes.
This was mainly driven by sustained traffic to and from Europe and the Middle East, which offset declines in traffic to and from North America under the lingering tariff impacts.
The growth was underpinned by a 13.5% increase in transshipments (those shipments that use Hong Kong as a stopping point between origin and destination).
Over the first eight months of 2025, cargo traffic grew 2.6% year on year to 3.3 million tonnes.
On a 12-month rolling basis, cargo throughput grew 5% year on year to 5 million tonnes.
The airport authority has been investing heavily in infrastructure to sustain its role as a leading air cargo hub.
The three-runway system project has significantly boosted capacity, while new logistics facilities are being developed to support e-commerce and temperature-controlled goods.
