Photo/CCTV News

A new checkpoint, Liantang Port/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point (莲塘/香园围口岸) that links Hong Kong and Shenzhen in South China's Guangdong province, will be put into use on August 26 (Wednesday).

Michael Wong, secretary for development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, said the new checkpoint is the seventh land-based control point at the Hong Kong-Shenzhen boundary, which is expected to relieve the existing cross-boundary freight traffic and facilitate the smooth, efficient operation of cross-boundary logistics.

In view of the COVID-19 epidemic, both Guangdong and Hong Kong have agreed to open first the cargo clearance facilities for use by cross-boundary goods vehicles, he said.

The service time for cross-boundary goods vehicles will be from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., according to local officials, adding that opening time of the clearance service for passengers and passenger vehicles will be announced later amid COVID-19 concerns.

Located in Shenzhen's eastern Luohu district, the project is designed to handle 17,850 vehicle trips and 30,000 passenger trips a day. Supported by an innovative customs clearance system featuring joint inspection and one-time release, it will slash the cargo clearance time to about 10 seconds, greatly improving the vehicle clearance efficiency.

According to Wong, major facilities in the new control point included goods vehicles kiosks, customs examination building and X-ray vehicle inspection building for inbound and outbound cargo, and immigration office, and there is a pedestrian bridge linking the passenger terminal buildings of Hong Kong and neighboring Shenzhen.

Editor: Becky

Sources: Xinhua; People's Daily