The Chief Executive, Mr Ho Iat Seng, and the Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr Ma Xingrui, along with officiating guests pose for a group photograph at the opening ceremony of the new Guangdong-Macao boundary crossing point (Qingmao Checkpoint).
The Chief Executive, Mr Ho Iat Seng, today said the opening of the Qingmao Checkpoint would further advance infrastructure connectivity and heighten efficiency regarding movement of people around the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
The new checkpoint – the fifth land-based crossing point between Macao and Zhuhai in Guangdong Province – carried great significance for Macao in terms of advancing society- and livelihood-related issues, as well as in the economic and political fields, added Mr Ho.
The Chief Executive delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the Qingmao Checkpoint. It opened to the public from 3pm today.
The Qingmao Checkpoint was one of the major projects for building a rapid-transport network within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, as mentioned in the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, said Mr Ho.
The older Border Gate Checkpoint at Gongbei, recorded in 2019 a daily average of 400,000 movements of people, said Mr Ho. The new Qingmao Checkpoint was just 800 metres away, would operate round-the-clock, and was designed for 200,000 movements of people per day. The Chief Executive said he believed the new checkpoint would offer overflow capacity in support of the Border Gate Checkpoint.
The launch of the Qingmao Checkpoint had great importance in terms of promoting innovation in regional cooperation mechanisms and systems, under the “One country, two systems” principle, Mr Ho said.
The Qingmao Checkpoint would implement a “Joint Inspection and One-Time Release” principle regarding customs clearance of people, adopting the high-efficiency boundary crossing model used respectively at the Macao-Zhuhai crossing point serving the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge; and at the Hengqin Port crossing point, noted Mr Ho.
The Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Government would make good use of the Qingmao Checkpoint, in order to work more closely with the Guangdong Government in promoting heightened efficiency of the interchange of people and goods between the two places, said Mr Ho. These efforts would contribute to the construction and high-quality development of the Greater Bay Area, and the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, Mr Ho added.
Also speaking at today’s ceremony was the Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr Ma Xingrui. He said the Qingmao Checkpoint was another achievement for Guangdong-Macao cooperation, following the launch of the new Hengqin Port. The Qingmao Checkpoint linked to Zhuhai Railway Station, making it even easier for the Macao public to travel across the country via the public transport network. Qingmao’s facilities would foster Macao’s integration into the intercity railway network within the Greater Bay Area, and the countrywide high-speed railway network, allowing greater numbers of the Macao public to enjoy the achievements of the Greater Bay Area development.
The Governor also talked about Guangdong’s determined effort to advance development of the Greater Bay Area, and the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, while furthering ties with Macao in terms of trade and investment matters; scientific and technological innovation; cultural tourism, convention and exhibition; commercial and trade industries; public services; and healthcare and medical services. Guangdong would step up effort in supporting Macao in its economic diversification, ensuring the respective strengths of Guangdong and Macao complemented each other, for the benefit of both sides. Such effort sought to contribute further to the development of the Greater Bay Area, and continued implementation of the “One country, two systems” principle with Macao characteristics, Mr Ma added.
Other officiating guests at today’s opening ceremony included: Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Mr Ho Hau Wah; the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Mr Fu Ziying; Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Huang Liuquan; the Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao SAR, Mr Liu Xianfa; the Political Commissar of the People’s Liberation Army Macao Garrison, Mr Sun Wenju; Vice Governor of Guangdong, Mr Zhang Xin; Macao’s Secretary for Security, Mr Wong Sio Chak; and Vice Administrator of the National Immigration Administration, Mr Qu Yunhai.
