The Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, visited the Shenzhen Bay Port this afternoon (July 8) to learn more about the current operation of cross-boundary land transport of goods and to listen to a staff briefing on the rapid nucleic acid testing arrangements at the land boundary control points (BCPs) in Hong Kong.
 
     To avoid a spillover of the epidemic, the Transport Department has arranged for dedicated staff to conduct COVID-19 virus tests for Hong Kong cross-boundary goods vehicle (CBGV) drivers at various land BCPs since February 28 this year. Only drivers with a negative result are allowed to enter the Mainland. So far, over 1 200 cases tested preliminarily positive or indeterminate have been successfully intercepted from entering the Mainland at various land BCPs in Hong Kong, significantly reducing the number of positive cases of Hong Kong CBGV drivers found in the Mainland and effectively reducing the risk of virus transmission.
 
     "Ensuring the smooth flow of cross-boundary land transport of goods is important to the development of Hong Kong's logistics industry and the consolidation of Hong Kong's position as a regional logistics hub. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government is grateful to the Central Government as well as the Guangdong Provincial Government and the Shenzhen Municipal Government for their continued care for the needs of the Hong Kong community. While implementing various epidemic prevention and control measures during the pandemic, they have maintained the normal operation of cross-boundary land transport of goods between Guangdong and Hong Kong, actively ensuring a stable and sufficient supply of goods from the Mainland to Hong Kong," Mr Lam said.
 
     "The HKSAR Government will continue to implement decisive and effective measures to avoid a spillover of the epidemic and improve the cross-boundary land transport arrangements. In this regard, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the CBGV industry for its continuous efforts in complying with the epidemic prevention and control measures in Guangdong and Hong Kong, and for its dedicated efforts to play an important role in ensuring the stability of goods supply through land transport to Hong Kong," he added.
 
     With the support and positive response from the Guangdong Provincial Government and the Shenzhen Municipal Government, the flow of CBGVs has gradually picked up recently while the waiting time for Hong Kong CBGV drivers to enter the Mainland has been significantly reduced. The Transport and Logistics Bureau and relevant departments will continue to follow up with the Mainland authorities with a view to resuming the arrangement for CBGV drivers to drive from Hong Kong directly to the Mainland operation points to pick up goods as soon as possible, so as to enhance the cargo volume and efficiency of cross-boundary land transport and support the needs of the logistics industry and other economic production activities.

Ends/Friday, July 8, 2022
Issued at HKT 18:37

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