Taking third step will herald big boost for bay economy
On Wednesday, the country's top legislative body approved the co-location plan proposed by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government to allow mainland officers to conduct immigration and customs clearance operations in the West Kowloon terminus of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong express rail link.
The decision by the National People's Congress Standing Committee came as no surprise as the implementation of boundary control at the Hong Kong terminus of the express rail link, or XRL as it is more conveniently known, is the only feasible choice if the infrastructure project is to serve its purpose.
Under the arrangement passengers will go through the customs, immigration and quarantine procedures of the SAR and the Chinese mainland successively at the terminus in Hong Kong, with officials from the Chinese mainland working in a designated part of the station.
