Travelers arrive at the Lok Ma Chau control point by Mass Transit Railway (MTR) in Hong Kong SAR, Jan 8, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Hong Kong’s largest political party has put forward 19 proposals to simplify cross-boundary travel and boost the boundary area’s development, including extending checkpoints’ opening hours and opening more waterway control points between the city and the Chinese mainland.

The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) suggested extending the opening times of the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point from 10pm to midnight, the same as at Lo Wu Control Point.

The DAB commended the early adoption of the Lo Wu/Man Kam To Comprehensive Development Node, a comprehensive land planning study for Sha Tau Kok District, and using land adjacent to the Heung Yuen Wai Control Point to support the development of inno-tech and other businesses

Given the huge traffic flow of the two checkpoints in rush hours, it also advised extending their service hours until 2 am on weekends and holidays, and lowering the MTR fares for transferring to the two checkpoints on the East Rail Line.

The party proposed starting 24-hour customs clearance at the Shenzhen Bay Port as soon as possible, and suggested gradually introducing the same system at Heung Yuen Wai checkpoint.

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The DAB also suggested setting up more waterway control points to facilitate cross-boundary travel, reducing toll fees on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao bridge, and allowing Guangdong-Hong Kong license plates to be recognized at more checkpoints.

In order to speed up the development of boundary areas, the DAB commended the early adoption of the Lo Wu/Man Kam To Comprehensive Development Node, a comprehensive land planning study for Sha Tau Kok District, and using land adjacent to the Heung Yuen Wai Control Point to support the development of inno-tech and other businesses. 

Starry Lee Wai-king, Chairwoman of DAB and a member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), said she spoke to the Security Bureau about her proposals, and the bureau responded positively. 

As the proposed issues involve cross-boundary cooperation, she will also submit the suggestions to the NPC, and work with the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to promote checkpoints’ longer opening hours.

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Tiffany Chan Yuen-tung, a Hong Kong resident who frequently travels between Hong Kong and the mainland for work, said that the new measures would be helpful for those who often cross the border to and from Shenzhen. For example, extending the opening hours of the ports would make it easier for residents to arrange their schedules, she said.

She added that she looks forward to cross-boundary high-speed trains’ greater flexibility, which is still under discussion by the authorities. 

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Chan also called for a reduction in handling fees for changing and refunding tickets for high-speed trains, which are higher in Hong Kong than in the mainland.

Neil Ng Tin-lun, a tech innovation assistant researcher at Our HK Foundation, expressed support for DAB’s proposal to open some areas near the Heung Yuen Wai Control Point for inno-tech development. Yet he noted that there are still restrictions for bio-tech companies transporting biological materials and scientific instruments between Hong Kong and the mainland, and called for their relaxation.