Following is a question by the Hon Chan Hak-kan and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, in the Legislative Council today (Oct 22):
 
Question:
 
     It is learnt that the Mainland and Hong Kong have all along endeavoured to enhance the boundary-crossing experience for travellers. However, some members of the public have relayed that, due to the high volume of passengers crossing the border, quite a number of travellers still have to queue up to go through immigration clearance at some land boundary control points (BCPs) just before they close. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) as some members of the public have relayed that the Lok Ma Chau Control Point, which is open 24 hours a day, often experiences heavy passenger flow after most land BCPs close late at night, whether the authorities have considered extending the operating hours of other land BCPs; if so, of the detailed plan for adjusting the operating hours of various land BCPs; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(2) whether there is currently any mechanism in place at various land BCPs for exercising discretion to extend the operating hours in order to cope with situations where a large number of travellers are waiting to cross the border before the BCPs close; if so, how many times has the relevant mechanism been activated in the past three years; if not, the reasons for that, and whether it will discuss with the Mainland the relevant mechanism to address the situation;
 
(3) whether a notification mechanism had been formulated with the Mainland authorities to mutually notify each other of the number of travellers going through departure clearance at certain time periods (e.g. every half an hour) before the BCPs close to ensure that there is sufficient time for travellers for immigration clearance; if so, how many times has the relevant mechanism been activated in the past three years; if not, the reasons for that, and whether it will discuss setting up of such a mechanism with the Mainland;
 
(4) in the past three years, of (i) the number of cases in which inbound travellers arriving in Hong Kong via land BCPs in the Mainland had to seek assistance from the Immigration Department because the BCPs in Hong Kong were closed, and (ii) the number of cases in which outbound travellers via various land BCPs in Hong Kong had to turn back immediately because the BCPs in the Mainland were closed; and
 
(5) in the past three years, of the respective numbers of outbound and inbound passengers at various land BCPs in Hong Kong during the hour before their closure, as well as the average waiting time for immigration clearance (including the use of the automated clearance system (e-Channel) service); whether there is any significant difference in the average waiting time for immigration clearance between the aforementioned period and other periods; if so, whether it will, on the basis of the relevant data, consider discussing or studying with the Mainland authorities the extension of the clearance time?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     With the increasing cross-boundary passenger flows between Guangdong and Hong Kong, exchanges at the community level have also intensified. In view of the growing demand for clearance services, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has been closely monitoring the operation of the boundary control points (BCPs) and proactively enhancing the clearance capacity to facilitate the two-way flow of people between Hong Kong and the Mainland.
 
     The reply to the question raised by the Hon Chan Hak-kan is as follows:
 
(1) The opening hours of land BCPs are determined through consultation between the HKSAR Government and the Shenzhen Municipal Government, and are subject to the approval of the Central Authorities.
 
     At present, Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang (LMC/HG) Port is the only BCP between Shenzhen and Hong Kong providing round-the-clock passenger clearance services. According to the statistics of the Immigration Department (ImmD), the current service capacity of LMC/HG Port is able to meet the demand for cross-boundary travels during late-night hours, fulfilling the ImmD's performance pledge to clear 98 per cent of Hong Kong residents within a 15-minute waiting time and 95 per cent of visitors within a 30-minute waiting time.
 
     The governments of both sides would also make special arrangements to meet the demand for clearance services and facilitate cross-boundary passenger flows during festive periods. For instance, on New Year's Eve last year, the passenger clearance services at the Lo Wu Control Point, which usually close at midnight, were extended until 2am the following day, while the passenger and passenger vehicle clearance services at the Shenzhen Bay Control Point, which usually close at midnight, operated overnight.
 
     In addition, to cope with the increase in cross‑boundary passenger flows during festive periods or large‑scale events, the departments at BCPs will pre-assess the cross-boundary passenger traffic and make corresponding arrangements, including arranging officers of other sections to work at BCPs during peak hours to enhance services. The Transport Department will also co-ordinate in advance with the MTR Corporation Limited, as well as local and cross-boundary public transport operators, to increase service frequency based on the estimated passenger traffic. Besides, the departments at BCPs have been maintaining close liaison with relevant Mainland authorities through the established port hotlines and real-time notification mechanisms for various land BCPs to take timely actions where necessary, including flexibly deploying manpower to operate additional clearance counters, channels and private car kiosks, and converting some of the goods vehicle kiosks into private car kiosks having regard to actual needs, to ensure smooth operations of BCPs.
 
     The extension of operating hours of clearance services involves the operation of the ports on both the Mainland and Hong Kong sides, and careful consideration has to be given to a host of factors, including the actual needs, effective utilisation of resources of both places, manpower arrangements and ancillary transport services. On the basis of the 24-hour passenger clearance services currently provided at the LMC/HG Port and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port, we will continue to closely monitor the demand for passenger clearance services and, having regard to actual needs, liaise with relevant Mainland authorities on extending the operating hours of the passenger clearance services at respective BCPs when necessary.
 
(2) to (4) Relevant departments of Hong Kong and the Mainland at BCPs would maintain close liaison through the established real-time notification mechanisms to monitor the real-time situations at land BCPs and ensure smooth clearance and crowd management.
 
     As aforementioned, the opening hours of land BCPs are subject to the approval of the Central Authorities. In cases where BCPs of both places are nearing closing time and there are still a large number of passengers queuing up for clearance, relevant departments of both places will liaise closely and immediately exchange information, including the number of passengers who have completed departure clearance at BCPs. The ImmD would exercise flexibility and operate extra clearance counters and channels when necessary, with a view to ensuring the completion of arrival clearance for all inbound passengers who have completed departure clearance at the Mainland ports before the closure of BCPs. There will hence not be any instances where passengers, having completed departure clearance at the Mainland ports, are unable to complete arrival clearance due to the closure of BCPs in Hong Kong. We understand that the Mainland port authorities adopt a similar arrangement.
 
(5) Generally speaking, evening hours are not peak periods for boundary crossings at BCPs. However, it is observed that quite some passengers choose to cross the boundary shortly before the closing time of BCPs. As aforementioned, the departments at BCPs will flexibly deploy manpower and operate extra clearance counters and channels to ensure the completion of arrival clearance for all passengers who have completed departure clearance at the Mainland ports before the closure of BCPs.
 
     In the past three years, all land BCPs under the ImmD have met the ImmD's target to clear 98 per cent of Hong Kong residents within a 15-minute waiting time and 95 per cent of visitors within a 30-minute waiting time.
 
     The departments at BCPs will continue to take various measures, including flexible deployment of manpower, optimisation of workflow and effective use of information technology, so as to enhance the clearance efficiency and the level of clearance facilitation at BCPs to cope with the increasing demand for clearance services.

Ends/Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Issued at HKT 11:00

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