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The Deputy Secretary for Security, Mr Michael Wong, today (August 10) led a delegation of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG) officials to attend a ceremony in Shenzhen marking commencement of the construction of the cross-boundary passenger terminal building for the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Corridor (HK-SWC).

The Executive Vice-Mayor of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government, Mr Xu Zongheng and the Vice-Secretary General of Shenzhen Municipal People's Government and Director of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Western Corridor Project Office, Mr Tang Yaozhi also attended today's ceremony.

The passenger terminal is a key building of the control point for the HK-SWC. It has a floor area of about 55,000 square metres and an ancillary area of some 10,000 square metres. It will primarily provide clearance facilities for coaches and passenger traffic.

The time required for the construction of the passenger terminal building is crucial to the construction of the entire control point for the HK-SWC. Commencement of construction works for the passenger terminal building signifies that the whole project has entered into a construction phase.

The interior of the passenger terminal building will be divided into two symmetrical parts to accommodate the immigration, customs, inspection and quarantine facilities of both the Hong Kong and Shenzhen sides. Upon its completion, cross-boundary passengers will enjoy a fast and convenient service in a comfortable environment.

The recently-concluded Seventh Plenary of the Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation Joint Conference agreed in principle to name the new control point for the HK-SWC "Shenzhen Bay Control Point" and to plan on the basis of providing round-the-clock clearance services in future.

It is estimated that the new control point will be able to handle a peak hourly traffic of about 150 coaches, 1,640 private cars and 2,600 goods vehicles in one direction.

The Hong Kong and Shenzhen authorities signed an entrustment agreement on the construction of the boundary-crossing facilities of the Hong Kong side for the HK-SWC on July 22. It is expected that construction works for the passenger terminal building of the Hong Kong side will commence in October, 2004.

Ends/Tuesday, August 10, 2004

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