Amid growing demand for cross-boundary consumption, logistics, and scientific research, experts recommend extending operating hours at key passenger and cargo land border crossings — particularly at the Shenzhen Bay, Futian, and Liantang ports.

They believe this move will help invigorate economic vitality, nurture the growth of innovative industries, and facilitate the movement of passengers and cargo through Hong Kong to global market.

The proposal, which represents the shared aspirations of those who live in both cities amid deepening integration, was included in Hong Kong’s first five-year plan, announced Sept 16, as a key step to strengthening collaboration within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

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Among the seven Shenzhen-Hong Kong land border crossings, only Huanggang offers 24-hour passenger services, while Shenzhen Bay provides 24-hour freight services. The other crossings open at 6:30 am or 7 am and close between 10 pm and midnight.

In 2025, cross-boundary passenger traffic at Shenzhen-Hong Kong land checkpoints reached 264 million, a record high, and cross-boundary truck trips totaled 4.32 million.

Kenny Shui Chi-wai, vice-president of Our Hong Kong Foundation and executive director of its Public Policy Institute, highlighted the importance of the Futian, Shenzhen Bay, and Huanggang ports for their connections with core industries.

To facilitate the commuting of scientific researchers and professional service providers, he suggested first extending the closting time of the Futian Port from 10 pm to midnight — in line with Shenzhen Bay — and later gradually expanding the passenger services at the two checkpoints to 24 hours a day.

By doing this, more scientific samples and legal documents requiring urgent delivery will be able to cross the boundary late at night, and strategic platforms located near the border could further deepen their collaboration, Shui said.

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In addition to Shenzhen Bay, only Wenjindu and Liantang provide freight services, both of which operate from 7 am to 10 pm. Shui suggested that the government and industry stakeholders jointly discuss establishing a relatively fixed extension window — for example, extending operating times by one or two hours in both the morning and the evening, enabling more trucks to choose nearby border crossings and enhance supply chain efficiency.

Hong Kong Legislative Council member Erik Yim Kong said that extending checkpoint operation hours would allow more time for various commercial activities to take place in Hong Kong, in areas such as trade, finance, and consumer-related business, and provide more options for goods and fresh produce from farther away to enter Hong Kong.

Echoing public sentiment, both Yim and Shui support extending the operating hours at Liantang Port from 10 pm to 11 pm. This will better leverage the functions of this emerging eastern gateway and facilitate northbound travel for Hong Kong residents — particularly the elderly, who rely on transportation fare concessions to reach the checkpoint.

With a designed passenger clearance capacity of only 30,000 trips per day, Liantang Port — which began handling passenger traffic in 2023 — has seen its average daily passenger trips exceed 60,000, peaking at more than 120,000 per day.

At present, many border ports do not have consistent names in Hong Kong and the mainland — especially their English names. For example, the Liantang Port and Wenjindu Port are known in Hong Kong as Heung Yuen Wai and Man Kam To control points. Yim also calls for harmonizing their names to reduce confusion among travelers.

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Yang Qiurong, a senior research fellow at the China Development Institute, proposed piloting appropriately extended customs clearance hours on weekdays at Futian and Luohu — the two busiest border crossings — along with 24-hour passenger clearance on weekends and public holidays.

She also recommended establishing dedicated lanes for business travelers and transfer passengers at the Shenzhen Bay Port — the most convenient border crossing for those traveling to and from Hong Kong International Airport — and optimizing customs inspection procedures at major cargo land ports.

Shui and Yang also stressed the importance of night-time supporting measures. They said that special attention should be paid to strengthening public-transport feeder services, leveraging technology to improve efficiency amid limited manpower, and enhancing service facilities around the checkpoints — such as parking, dining options, and emergency medical care — to improve the overall night-time passenger experience.

Yao Xi contributed to the story

Contact the writer at bingcun@chinadailyhk.com