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Jess Ma

Hongkongers can present either their identity card or home return permit at the revamped Huanggang border checkpoint instead of both documents under the latest agreement with mainland Chinese authorities, the security minister has revealed.
Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung announced the measure after a drill at the crossing involving more than 20,000 civil servants on Saturday.
“Under our latest agreement with the mainland, for e-channel entry to the mainland and returning to Hong Kong, you can use the Hong Kong identity card or the home return permit for both ways, whichever you prefer,” Tang said.
The interchangeable use of Hong Kong identity cards and home return permits at the crossing will apply to both Chinese and non-Chinese residents holding a valid mainland travel permit.
However, Tang reminded residents that they should still carry a valid mainland permit with them, despite not having to use it at the checkpoint.
Saturday’s drill was the largest so far, with more than 20,000 civil servants taking part to simulate peak stress on the building’s capacity.
Huanggang Port is expected to be able to handle 200,000 passenger trips per day and is the first checkpoint to use a “joint clearance” model.
Passengers only need to undergo departure and arrival clearance at a single checkpoint and present one travel document at either automatic or manual counters, instead of passing through separate counters.
Sources previously said the revamped crossing between Hong Kong and Shenzhen could open as early as next month.
All 90 clearance lanes on the Hong Kong departure side – both automatic “joint clearance” machines and manual counters – as well as in the arrivals hall, were tested on Saturday.
Saturday’s drill also involved 300 vehicles testing the “joint one-stop” clearance lane. Drivers only needed to present their identity documents at one machine so that five departments in Hong Kong and Shenzhen could approve their clearance and record their biometric data and temperature.
Through the lane’s “integrated information collection device”, Hong Kong’s Customs and Excise Department, Immigration Department and Department of Health can confirm clearance on their side. At the same time, Shenzhen’s immigration and customs authorities can carry out the equivalent task.

Following the drill, Tang said the exercise had achieved its purpose, as operations inside the checkpoint remained orderly even with a record number of civil servants taking part.
“Overall, it has been very smooth. We will conduct an internal evaluation afterwards and have a joint meeting with Shenzhen authorities to look at the safety and smoothness of operations to determine when the checkpoint can be opened,” Tang said.
The security minister said a test simulating 20,000 passengers – twice as many as in the previous drill last Saturday – passing through the checkpoint in an hour was staged, with the longest wait to cross the border remaining under 15 minutes.
For the one-stop vehicle lane, Tang said drivers could pass through the clearance gate in around a minute.
However, Tang noted that Wi-fi connectivity was still an issue inside the building. He said some crowded areas lacked a signal on Saturday, which was not a problem in the test with 10,000 participants last week.
Saturday’s drill began with a simulation of heavy passenger flow arriving by public transport. The Transport Department commissioned 300 buses and minibuses to take part, picking up passengers from various terminals and intermediate stops across urban areas before arriving at the checkpoint.
Passengers were then directed to escalators inside the building to head straight to the departure hall on the fifth floor.
Meanwhile, private cars and cross-border buses arrived at the one-stop vehicle clearance lane on the first floor of the complex.
While passengers had to get out of vehicles for immigration clearance, drivers remained inside and crossed the border using the integrated information collection device.


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Hong Kong society

Hongkongers can use either ID or home return permit at revamped Huanggang Port

More than 20,000 civil servants participated in a drill to test the new Huanggang Port building’s capacity. Photo: Karma Lo

The revamped crossing could open as early as next month, sources previously said. Photo: Karma Lo

More than 20,000 civil servants participated in a drill to test the new Huanggang Port building’s capacity. Photo: Elson Li

Passengers only need to undergo departure and arrival clearance at a single checkpoint and present one travel document at either automatic or manual counters. Photo: Karma Lo

2 more drills with ‘harsher scenarios’ planned for revamped Huanggang crossing

The second large-scale drill conducted at Huanggang Port on August 15. Photo: Handout

Earlier drills also covered simulations of a large-scale traffic accident and travellers falling ill. Photo: Handout

Huanggang Port is the city’s first checkpoint to use the “joint inspection” model for immigration clearance and its second round-the-clock crossing. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong and Shenzhen test crossings at revamped Huanggang Port ahead of opening

Civil servants take part in the test at the Huanggang Port crosing on Saturday. Photo: Elson Li

The revamped checkpoint will be the first to deploy the “joint clearance” model, where people only need to show one type of identity document required by their destination for e-channel clearance. Photo: Elson Li

Officers simulate a customs check that discovers illicit cigarette and an endangered tortoise. Photo: Elson Li

A body scan at the facility. Sources have said the crossing could open as early as next month. Photo: Elson Li

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Security chief Chris Tang reveals arrangement after massive drill at border crossing, which could open next month


Security chief Chris Tang reveals arrangement after massive drill at border crossing, which could open next month.


Hongkongers can use either ID or home return permit at revamped Huanggang Port

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Security chief Chris Tang reveals arrangement after massive drill at border crossing, which could open next month

Security chief Chris Tang reveals arrangement after massive drill at border crossing, which could open next month