Seventh Border Crossing Facility Opens For Business

An opening ceremony attended by top Hong Kong and Guangdong officials was held on Wednesday morning for the latest border crossing between Hong Kong and Shenzhen.

The new facility, linking Liantang in Shenzhen with Heung Yuen Wai, is the seventh cross-border point and cost HK$33 billion, which was double the initial estimate.

The facility will start operation from 4pm on Wednesday, but because of the Covid-19 restrictions, only cargo trucks are allowed for the time being. It'll be off-limits to private cars and coaches.

The Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point will operate from 7am to 10pm.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam and a number of top Hong Kong officials attended the opening ceremony at Liantang Port in Shenzhen.

Mainland officials including a deputy head of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, Zhang Xiaoming, Luo Huining of the central government's liaison office in Hong Kong, and top Guangdong and Shenzhen officials were also present.

The head of a cargo association, Stanley Chiang, pointed out that cross-border truckers can now use the checkpoint to go to eastern Guangdong cities such as Huidong and Shantou.

He said this saves valuable journey time because unlike other crossings such as Man Kam To and Sha Tau Kok, Heung Yuen Wai leads to expressways on both sides of the border.

But some have also raised concerns about the new facility.

The vice chairman of the North District Council, Dino Chan of the Democratic Party, said it could lead to overcrowding in Fanling and Sheung Shui.

He also spoke about a possible influx of mainlanders and the impact on his district. He said he doesn't like to see too many pharmacies and jewellery shops catering primarily to mainlanders.