HONG KONG, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Aerospace Congress opened here on Monday morning with a special executive session that will focus on the critical issues impacting on Asia Pacific' s fast-moving aviation market.

The Congress will last until Sept. 6. Each day it will have a specific theme that tackles important issues, including air transport strategy, air transport operations and aerospace technology.

More than 400 delegates attended Monday's opening executive sessions, which featured speakers at ministerial and director general level.

Eva Cheng, transport and housing secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, gave a welcome address at the opening session. She underlined the HKSAR government's commitment to maintaining the region's position as an international and regional aviation center, through expanding their air services network, further developing Hong Kong International Airport and promoting safety and efficiency in air transport.

Cheng said that with Asia emerging as the world's fastest-growing aviation market, the Congress provides the perfect platform for topical discussion and debate.

Wang Changshun, vice-minister of General Administration of Civil Aviation of China, discussed the outlook for air transport in China. He said that new airports are needed in China, as traffic growth rates have been phenomenal, with domestic air traffic doubling roughly every five years.

In recent years, China's total air traffic turnover has more than doubled the world average, Wang said.

The Chinese central government's latest five-year program for economic development, which runs until 2010, aims to invest around18.5 billion U.S. dollars in airport development, during which more than 40 all-new airports will be built. There are now approximately 140 airports in the country, and the number is expected to reach 186 by 2010 and 220 by 2020.