Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak said yesterday that the permanent vehicle inspection channels at the Hengqin joint border checkpoint are now expected to come into service shortly after the end of August.
Wong made the remarks when replying to oral interpellations by several lawmakers during a plenary session in the legislature’s hemicycle.
Since the Macau-mainland joint checkpoint on Zhuhai’s Hengqin Island came into service in August 2020, only temporary vehicle inspection channels have been operating for vehicles crossing the border, because the construction of the permanent channels was still ongoing at that time.
A joint Macau-mainland immigration and customs clearance system officially known as “joint inspection and one-time release” has been implemented at the Hengqin joint checkpoint where travellers are required to pass border controls only once when completing their departure and arrival formalities.
However, the “joint inspection and one-time release” system is not currently adopted at the Hengqin checkpoint’s current temporary vehicle inspection channels, meaning that vehicles crossing the border are still required to pass border controls twice, when travelling from Macau to Hengqin, and vice versa.
The current temporary channels have been affected by traffic congestion during peak hours because of their limited capacities, as well as the fact that the “joint inspection and one-time release” system is not adopted there.
The jurisdiction over an area of the Hengqin joint checkpoint to be used for the permanent vehicle inspection channels was transferred from Guangdong to the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) on April 20 this year.
The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing passed a decision in October 2019 to authorise the MSAR to administer the Macau-side checkpoint zone of the Hengqin joint checkpoint and adjoining areas from the day they come into use in accordance with the MSAR’s laws.
The jurisdiction over the Macau-side checkpoint zone of the Hengqin checkpoint and adjoining areas is scheduled to be transferred to the MSAR in three phases.
Hengqin is connected to Macau, in Cotai, via the Lotus Flower Bridge across a narrow river.
Before the Hengqin joint checkpoint came into service on August 18, 2020, the jurisdiction over the Macau-side checkpoint zone of the Hengqin checkpoint and the Lotus Flower Bridge was transferred to the MSAR on March 18 that year, namely the first phase.
The second phase consists of the permanent inspection channels for vehicles, as well as a link between the University of Macau (UM) campus on Hengqin Island and the Hengqin checkpoint.
As the building of the link between the UM campus and the Hengqin checkpoint was then still ongoing, only the jurisdiction over the area used for the permanent vehicle inspection channels was transferred on April 20 this year.
The construction of the link between the UM campus and the Hengqin checkpoint is now scheduled to be completed next month. The link will be used for both vehicles and pedestrians.
The third phase refers to an area reserved for the extension of Macau’s Light Rail Transit (LRT) to the Hengqin checkpoint. The ongoing LRT Cotai-Hengqin section project is now scheduled to be completed in November next year.
During yesterday’s plenary session, Wong noted that after the completion of the construction work, the jurisdiction over the area used for the permanent vehicle inspection channels was transferred from Guangdong to the MSAR on April 20 this year.
Afterwards, according to Wong, the Zhuhai authorities began to carry out the installation of equipment and facilities for the immigration and customs clearance systems for the permanent vehicle inspection channels, which is slated to be completed today, Wong said yesterday.
Afterwards, Wong said, operational tests for the clearance system will start. The permanent vehicle inspection channels are now expected to open shortly after the end of August, after all the tests are completed, Wong said.
Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak addresses yesterday’s plenary session in the Legislative Assembly’s (AL) hemicycle. – Photo courtesy of TDM
