Hong Kong’s Heung Yuen Wai border checkpoint can handle big crowds, security chief says

Hong Kong’s newest border checkpoint at Heung Yuen Wai can cope with crowds, the city’s security chief has assured lawmakers after some raised concerns that daily passenger trips were more than double its design capacity of 30,000.

Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung told lawmakers on Wednesday that the Heung Yuen Wai crossing had handled an average of 70,000 passenger trips per day this year, with the tally exceeding 80,000 during weekends.

He said only four instances had occurred where people had to wait more than 15 minutes to cross the border into mainland China during holidays or long weekends, with the actual time below 30 minutes.

“In non-peak hours on weekdays, citizens can cross the border in a few minutes. On weekends and holidays, citizens can mostly cross the border in 15 minutes,” Tang said.

The checkpoint, which opened to trucks in 2020 and began handling passengers last year, was designed to handle 30,000 traveller trips per day, according to papers submitted to the Legislative Council during its construction.

Some lawmakers expressed concern about the checkpoint’s current capacity.