Based on the new rules issued on July 18 by the National Immigration Administration, business people and personnel working in tertiary educational institutions in both Hengqin and Macao are allowed to cross the border through a special lane for frequent travelers. At around 3 p.m. on July 18, the first passenger crossed the border via Hengqin Port just within 20 seconds.

"I've commuted between Macao SAR and Hengqin for four years. The renovation of the exit-entry services in Hengqin facilitates my trip. It boosts the people-to-people exchanges between residents of Hengqin and Macao," said Dong Wenwei, the first passenger commuting from Hengqin to Macao through the frequent travelers lane.

"The rules also take the vulnerable groups, such as students with cross-border needs, the physically challenged, and senior citizens, into consideration, to make customs clearance more efficient," Dong Wenwei added.

"The exit-entry process has become more convenient!" Chao Wang, assistant dean and professor of the Faculty of Law, University of Macau, expressed his expectation for the positive impact of the new rules. "The University of Macau has more than 10,000 students and thousands of faculty and staff. The new rules will help our teachers and students travel between Hengqin and Macao more conveniently and then further promote scientific research cooperation and exchanges," he said.

The new rules work to meet the demands of passengers with exit-entry needs between Hengqin and Macao, further pushing forward the connectivity between the two places. "At present, people who travel between Hengqin and Macao in Hengqin Port account for a large proportion of the daily exit and entry passengers," Zeng Xiang, a staff member of the Hengqin Border Inspection Station, explained.

"We provide convenient customs clearance services for this group, which will be conducive to improving the clearance efficiency and pushing forward the development of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin," he said.

Since 2023, Hengqin Port has seen a growing passenger flow and vehicle flow. Its average daily passenger flow and vehicle flow have increased from 25,000 and more than 2,700 in 2019 to about 40,000 and more than 5,400 this year.

Reporter | Nancy Ye

Editors |Olivia, Nan, Monica, James

Photos provided to GDToday