Hong Kong’s Airport Authority is in talks with more than 20 international airlines, including those from Europe and the United States, to launch new routes to the city as it ups its game to entice foreign carriers with incentives.

Chapman Fong Shui-man, the authority’s director for hub development, said on Thursday that the statutory body had arranged to meet more than 20 global airlines during the Routes World aviation forum in Hong Kong in a bid to secure new routes to the city.

“The Routes World forum is a crucial event for the industry … We hope it will help us attract more airlines and expand our network, further solidifying the city’s position as a leading international aviation hub in Asia,” he said.

“We’ve arranged to meet over 20 airlines during the three-day conference, focusing on strategic and high-potential growth regions. I met some of them yesterday, including those from Europe and the US. They are very positive about launching new routes to Hong Kong.”

Speaking at the event, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po pledged to reinforce ties with traditional partners in the West while expanding the city’s network across the globe.

“The world is changing rapidly, with geopolitics reshaping global economic dynamics and patterns of passenger travel. Hong Kong’s role as a gateway to the mainland will only grow stronger,” he said.