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Vivian Au

Ambrose Li

Hong Kong’s legislature has passed a bill providing the legal basis for implementing a “co-location” arrangement at the upgraded Huanggang border crossing following a special, four-hour meeting, after the city’s security chief said it had to be approved by July 31.
The passage on Friday of the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area Bill, gazetted on Tuesday, marked the fastest round of scrutiny since the Legislative Council’s 2021 overhaul under the “patriots administering Hong Kong” principle.
“Rebuilding the Huanggang control port will allow [Hong Kong] to align with the country’s 15th five-year plan,” Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung told the meeting, referring to the national development blueprint for 2026 to 2030.
Overall customs clearance times would fall from 30 minutes to just five minutes at the redeveloped crossing between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, he added.
Tang said it would be the first boundary control point to implement a “collaborative inspection and joint-clearance” mode. Travellers will only be required to pass through one clearance point, rather than the current practice of separate counters for Hong Kong and mainland China.
He also stressed that there would be no shared or common database.
While lawmakers passed the legislation, some warned of potential traffic gridlock at the border before key railway projects were completed, and called for stringent privacy safeguards for the new joint-clearance system.

Lawmaker Christine Fong Kwok-shan expressed concern over a lack of adequate transport infrastructure to cope with an influx of cross-border passengers.
“We urge the government to expedite the roll-out of the Northern Link,” she said, referring to the new railway project scheduled to open by 2034 or earlier.
Lawmaker Ray Wong Wing-wai also cited privacy concerns related to travellers’ personal data, as use of the clearance system would be shared by authorities of both sides of the border.
He called for enhanced data protection and a transparent public briefing, stressing that all data collection, storage and transmission must strictly comply with local regulations.
Wong also urged the government to conduct comprehensive operational and traffic stress tests, alongside cross-departmental simulation drills, before the facility opened to pre-empt any logistics or staffing failures.
The government said the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area Ordinance would be gazetted on Monday and come into effect on July 31.

Legco was initially scheduled to hold its final meeting before the summer break on Wednesday, but held additional meetings to expedite the vote on the bill, with Tang thanking the legislature for its efforts.
Under the co-location arrangement, the government will set up a Hong Kong port area in the Huanggang complex, located on the Shenzhen side of the border.
On June 26, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, China’s top legislative body, passed a bill to authorise the city’s jurisdiction over part of the port area.
The State Council, the country’s cabinet, confirmed the specific boundaries on July 8 and approved the commissioning of the Hong Kong port area at midnight on July 31, with the city exercising jurisdiction.
Under the joint-inspection arrangement, passengers will undergo departure and arrival clearance at a single checkpoint by presenting only the travel document required for their destination, instead of passing through separate counters.
Tang added that daily passenger throughput would rise from 40,000 to 200,000 trips, eventually reaching about 300,000 a day following the opening of the Northern Link Spur line, expected to be completed before 2034.


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Hong Kong passes bill for Huanggang ‘co-location’ arrangement

The redeveloped Huanggang border crossing building is located in Shenzhen. Photo: Edmond So

Secretary for Security Chris Tang says customs clearance times will drop to just five minutes. Photo: Dickson Lee

Lawmakers vote on the bill on Friday. Photo: Dickson Lee

The passage of the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area Bill marked the fastest round of scrutiny since the Legislative Council’s 2021 overhaul under the “patriots administering Hong Kong” principle. Photo: Edmond So

Hong Kong set to pass Huanggang crossing bill on Friday at the earliest

A bill to ensure smooth travel through the new Huanggang complex is expected to be passed this week. Photo: Edmond So

Ben Chan, chairman of the legislature’s transport panel, believes that many residents will want to use the upgraded facility once it opens. Photo: Facebook/BenChanHanPan

Top legislative body to discuss Hong Kong’s shared control at upgraded crossing

The new Huanggang Port will be the first 24-hour checkpoint connecting Hong Kong and Shenzhen. Photo: Edmond So

Facilities of both sides  will be housed under one roof in the Huanggang Port Building. Photo: Edmond So

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Upgraded border crossing will be the first to use a ‘joint-clearance’ model


Upgraded border crossing will be the first to use a ‘joint-clearance’ model.


Hong Kong passes bill for Huanggang ‘co-location’ arrangement

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Upgraded border crossing will be the first to use a ‘joint-clearance’ model

Upgraded border crossing will be the first to use a ‘joint-clearance’ model