The renovated Huanggang border crossing, which will adopt a “cooperative inspection and joint cleaningThe model is set to reopen when domestic legislation is finalized and Beijing’s approval, Hong Kong’s leader said.
Chief Executive John Lee told the press on Wednesday that the government is looking to restart Huanggang Port “as early as possible” as Beijing reviews the relevant law and the legislature completes domestic legislation, Now TV reported.
Lee was asked by reporters about the progress of the project when he accompanied Beijing’s top official on Hong Kong affairs, Xia Baolong, on an inspection tour of the port on Wednesday.
Lee said that, while the new building was completed, the checkpoint was now undergoing internal renovation: “(G)overnments on both sides are working tirelessly to conduct tests and exercises.”
Multi-year reconstruction
Hong Kong and Shenzhen authorities began rebuilding Huanggang Port, on the western side of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong border, in 2019.
Security chief Chris Tang said in 2024 that the revamped port will adopt a “joint clearance” measure, which will reduce clearance times from 30 minutes to five minutes.
Tang said the deal meant outbound and inbound visitors would only have to queue once to inspect their documents and verify their identity, with both sides’ automated counters “located side by side within their respective border jurisdictions”.
China’s state news agency Xinhua reported that the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress will hold a meeting in Beijing next week.
The agenda includes a motion to review a draft resolution authorizing Hong Kong to exercise jurisdiction over the Chinese side of the Hong Kong Port Area and its associated extended areas.
According to a document submitted for the legislature in March, the Hong Kong government will also enact laws to declare the area under the city’s jurisdiction.
The Shenzhen government is bearing the design and construction costs of the entire redevelopment of the crossing, while Hong Kong is bearing the renovation and equipment costs for the Hong Kong port area.
The legislature allocated about HK$1.67 billion for the project. Hong Kong will pay Shenzhen a token rent of HK$1,000 per year.
