Hong Kong authorities have gazetted a new law regulating an upgraded border crossing, between the city and Shenzhen, marking another major step to launch the first joint immigration model that will cut clearance times from the current 30 minutes to five.
The Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area Bill was gazetted on Tuesday, with a Security Bureau spokesman saying the official opening date of the upgraded port had yet to be finalised with mainland Chinese authorities.
“The official opening date is to be agreed upon by the Guangdong and Hong Kong governments,” the spokesman said.
The bill provides legal grounds for the city to implement a co-location arrangement at the border crossing, which would be the first to use a “joint inspection” model for border clearance.
Under the 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.
Ahead of the local law, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, China’s top legislative body, had already passed a bill to authorise the city’s jurisdiction over part of the port area on June 26.
The State Council, China’s cabinet, confirmed the specific boundaries on July 8 and approved commissioning the Hong Kong port area at midnight on July 31, with the city exercising jurisdiction.