The Wanzai boundary checkpoint in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, will resume customs clearance operations with effect from 23 January 2020. Macao’s Inner Harbour Ferry Terminal will also resume the ferry service between Macao and Wanzai on the same day. On nearby Hengqin Island, the new Hengqin port boundary checkpoint linking to Cotai would eventually commence operation in phases.
The Secretary for Administration and Justice, Mr Cheong Weng Chon; the Director of the Marine and Water Bureau, Ms Wong Soi Man; Deputy Commissioner of the Public Security Police, Ms Lao Wan Seong; Assistant Director-General of the Macao Customs, Mr Vong Vai Man; and the Acting Director of the Transport Bureau, Mr Lo Seng Chi, attended an interdepartmental press conference on Monday (30 December) to announce the arrangements for resumption of operations at the Wanzai boundary checkpoint and the Inner Harbour Ferry Terminal, as well as to detail progress towards commencing the operation of the new Hengqin port checkpoint.
The Secretary for Administration and Justice, Mr Cheong, said that with the strong support of the Central People’s Government and relevant government departments of Guangdong Province and Zhuhai Municipality, the ferry service between Wanzai, Zhuhai, and Macao’s Inner Harbour Ferry Terminal, was resuming in January. The opening hours of the checkpoint would be extended compared to those that had applied previously: they would now run from 7am to 10pm. The number of scheduled daily passenger-ferry sailings between the Wanzai Ferry Terminal and the Inner Harbour Ferry Terminal would increase from the 34 that had applied in prior operations, to 110 under the new arrangements. This was for the convenience of residents of Macao and Zhuhai that might wish to commute between the two places.
Mr Cheong said the resumption of Wanzai checkpoint operations offered Macao and Zhuhai residents a convenient and comfortable option for customs clearance between the places. The promotion of people-to-people and economic exchanges between Macao and Zhuhai was an important measure to assist the comprehensive implementation of President Xi Jinping’s instruction regarding enhancement of Guangdong-Macao cooperation; and the development of Hengqin through the joint efforts of Zhuhai and Macao.
The public had long taken an interest in the progress of the new Hengqin port boundary checkpoint project. Mr Cheong said the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee had recently passed a resolution authorising the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) to assume jurisdiction of the Macao boundary crossing area and related extension zones on the Hengqin side of the checkpoint. Macao also needed to formulate local laws in accordance with the NPC Standing Committee’s resolution and relevant administrative requirements, in order to apply the laws of Macao to the Macao boundary-crossing area and related extension zones in Hengqin.
The Legal Affairs Bureau had already drafted – for discussion by the Executive Council – a relevant legislative bill, with reference to the provisions of Law no. 3/2013, previously applicable to the Hengqin new campus of the University of Macau. The bill would be submitted to the Legislative Assembly for deliberation as soon as possible.
The Director of the Marine and Water Bureau, Ms Wong, said the body had received an application from Yuet Tung Shipping Company to resume – from 23 January 2020 – the maritime passenger service from the Macao Inner Harbour Ferry Terminal to Zhuhai’s Wanzai. Macao and Zhuhai residents would be able to enjoy discounts on the ferry fares. Such concessionary fares for a one-way sailing from Macao to Wanzai would be 20 patacas, and for a round trip, 30 patacas. The concessionary fares applicable for a one-way sailing from Wanzai to Macao would be 15 yuan, and for a round trip, 25 yuan.
According to Ms Wong, the Marine and Water Bureau was currently processing the approval procedures for such ferry services, in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, and would soon conduct pre-operational safety inspections of the vessels, to ensure maritime safety.
Deputy Commissioner of the Public Security Police, Ms Lao, said the Inner Harbour Ferry Terminal would resume operations using e-Channel barriers as the main option for completing boundary-crossing formalities. Some manually-operated counters would be retained. There would be six e-Channels and two manual counters in the arrivals hall, together with a backup facility whereby the visa inspection room would also be able to double where necessary as a third counter for manual inspection of travellers’ documents. The arrivals hall would have the capacity to handle 1,710 passenger arrivals per hour. In the departures hall, there would be seven e-Channels and two manual counters, with a backup channel inside an office as the third manually-operated document-inspection counter if necessary. The departures hall would have the capacity to clear 2,130 passengers per hour. The aggregate of 13 e-Channels and six manual counters for arrivals and departures between the two places would therefore be able to process up to 3,840 passengers per hour, and would greatly improve customs-clearance capabilities at the checkpoint.
Ms Lao also said the innovative cooperation between Guangdong and Macao had been the foundation for creation of the new Hengqin port checkpoint. It would be a major boundary-crossing and logistics point, and would facilitate the smooth flow of passengers, and act as a one-stop boundary-crossing point for goods. Visitors on foot and those with vehicles would need only to line up once to complete either all the arrival procedures and inspections, or all the departure procedures and inspections.
Assistant Director-General of the Macao Customs, Mr Vong, said Macao Customs would set up advanced customs-inspection equipment at the Inner Harbour Ferry Terminal, including X-ray machines; testing and measurement machines; Raman-spectroscopy machines; and chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) detection equipment, in order to improve customs inspection efficiency. The use of ‘red’ and ‘green’ customs channels for travellers would also improve customs-clearance efficiency, providing visitors with quality customs-clearance services.
The Acting Director of the Transport Bureau, Mr Lo,said that due to the increase in frequency of sailings after the Inner Harbour Ferry Terminal resumes its boundary-crossing function, it was predicted that the demand for Macao public transport to and from the boundary checkpoint would also increase. The facilities at the nearby bus stations, coach pick up and drop off points, and the taxi stops would be adjusted for the convenience of residents and visitors travelling to and from the Inner Harbour Ferry Terminal.
