Hengqin border checkpoint to open 52 new passenger channels

The Hengqin border checkpoint will open 52 newly built passenger inspection channels for trial operation starting at 10 am on Wednesday, expanding its capacity to 113 as the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone marks its fifth anniversary this year.

The additions, comprising 46 self-service and six manual lanes, bring the checkpoint's total to 94 self-service and 19 manual channels. Passenger throughput efficiency is expected to rise by 65 percent during peak hours, according to a statement from the cooperation zone released Tuesday.

The new channels feature expanded fingerprint-collection zones and adjustable collection screens alongside upgraded smart capabilities, the statement said.

The expansion comes as cross-border traffic between Hengqin and Macao has grown sharply since the inspection hall opened in 2020. More than 110 million entry-exit passengers have been processed over that period, at an average annual growth rate of 37.5 percent, according to statistics from the Zhuhai General Station of Immigration Inspection. The checkpoint has handled nearly 100,000 passengers per day this year, up over 26 percent year-on-year, with Macao residents accounting for nearly 30 percent.

The new channels represent a major upgrade to the checkpoint's smart services and reflect five years of progress in Hengqin-Macao integration, the statement said.