A milestone inspection tour by Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, has confirmed that the rebuilt Huanggang Port on the Hong Kong-Shenzhen border is on track to open next month as the world’s largest land checkpoint. During his 17-18 June visit, Xia was shown the facility’s “collaborative inspection and joint-clearance” hall, where Hong Kong and mainland officers will sit side-by-side so travellers clear both exit and entry formalities in one stop. The same co-location model already operates at West Kowloon high-speed-rail terminus, but Huanggang will be its first large-scale road application, handling an estimated 300,000 passenger trips a day at peak.
![Beijing envoy applauds Hong Kong’s new Huanggang Port, paving the way for seamless co-location clearance]()
For travellers navigating these fresh procedures, VisaHQ’s Hong Kong team (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) offers end-to-end support with China visas, e-channel enrolment and even the new Guangdong electronic vehicle permits—removing red tape so commuters and companies can move across the boundary with confidence.
Hong Kong officials told Xia that enabling legislation is ready for Beijing’s Standing Committee to authorise the special administrative region’s jurisdiction in the shared halls. Once endorsed, a local bill will be tabled in LegCo before the port opens. Hong Kong’s Security Secretary Chris Tang said interior fit-out is being fast-tracked and joint systems tested with Shenzhen counterparts. For businesses, the modernised checkpoint is expected to slash coach and shuttle-van journey times between Hong Kong’s northern New Territories and booming tech parks in Futian and Nanshan to under 15 minutes. Logistics firms anticipate 24-hour freight clearance lanes and automated license-plate recognition will cut cross-border trucking costs by up to 20 percent. The port also anchors the government’s Northern Metropolis blueprint, which will cluster housing, R&D campuses and advanced-manufacturing zones near the boundary. Xia’s endorsement came hand-in-hand with praise for Hong Kong’s first five-year plan, now being drafted to align with China’s national 15th Five-Year Plan. Transport Secretary Mable Chan said the central government views Hong Kong as a core aviation and maritime hub; the port’s smart-customs trials—facial biometrics, blockchain cargo seals and paperless carnets—will be exported to other crossings once proven. Practically, employers moving staff between Hong Kong and mainland offices should update travel policies: co-location means passports will be stamped on the Shenzhen side, not on arrival downtown; e-channel preregistration for frequent travellers is advised. HR teams are also reminded that vehicles using the new “one-plate, two-customs” scheme must obtain Guangdong-issued electronic permits before the opening date.
For travellers navigating these fresh procedures, VisaHQ’s Hong Kong team (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) offers end-to-end support with China visas, e-channel enrolment and even the new Guangdong electronic vehicle permits—removing red tape so commuters and companies can move across the boundary with confidence.
Hong Kong officials told Xia that enabling legislation is ready for Beijing’s Standing Committee to authorise the special administrative region’s jurisdiction in the shared halls. Once endorsed, a local bill will be tabled in LegCo before the port opens. Hong Kong’s Security Secretary Chris Tang said interior fit-out is being fast-tracked and joint systems tested with Shenzhen counterparts. For businesses, the modernised checkpoint is expected to slash coach and shuttle-van journey times between Hong Kong’s northern New Territories and booming tech parks in Futian and Nanshan to under 15 minutes. Logistics firms anticipate 24-hour freight clearance lanes and automated license-plate recognition will cut cross-border trucking costs by up to 20 percent. The port also anchors the government’s Northern Metropolis blueprint, which will cluster housing, R&D campuses and advanced-manufacturing zones near the boundary. Xia’s endorsement came hand-in-hand with praise for Hong Kong’s first five-year plan, now being drafted to align with China’s national 15th Five-Year Plan. Transport Secretary Mable Chan said the central government views Hong Kong as a core aviation and maritime hub; the port’s smart-customs trials—facial biometrics, blockchain cargo seals and paperless carnets—will be exported to other crossings once proven. Practically, employers moving staff between Hong Kong and mainland offices should update travel policies: co-location means passports will be stamped on the Shenzhen side, not on arrival downtown; e-channel preregistration for frequent travellers is advised. HR teams are also reminded that vehicles using the new “one-plate, two-customs” scheme must obtain Guangdong-issued electronic permits before the opening date.
