Hengqin Port connecting Guangdong, Macao sees surge in passenger, vehicle flow

Hengqin Port in Zhuhai City of south China's Guangdong Province adjacent to Macao received more than 70.54 million visitors and 8.2 million vehicles over the last four years as of Tuesday, a sign of remarkable progress in the local development.

The port has seen the annual growth rates surpassing 39 percent for passengers and 31 percent for vehicles, according to data from the Hengqin Border Inspection Station.

Since the official establishment of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin on September 17, 2021, Hengqin Port - the only immigration channel between Guangdong Province and Macao within the cooperation zone - has served as a major hub for connectivity in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Hengqin Port has continuously upgraded both hardware and services. Key developments include a one-stop joint inspection for vehicles entering and exiting the mainland, which significantly improves customs clearance efficiency.

"At present, the average customs clearance time for passengers passing through the Hengqin Port's cooperative fast channel is about 20 seconds, and the average customs clearance time for vehicles passing through the 'joint one-stop' channel is about 100 seconds," said Wang Hao, a customs officer at the Hengqin checkpoint.

According to statistics, the number of Macao residents working, residing, and living in the Cooperation Zone has exceeded 28,000, with over 7,300 Macao-funded enterprises.

Data from the Hengqin Border Inspection Station showed that the average daily number of regular passengers via the port surged from 18,000 four years ago to 51,000 now, a 187 percent increase.

Starting January 1, 2025, permanent residents and residence permit holders in the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin will be eligible to apply for multi-entry permits to Macao, allowing for unrestricted visits of up to seven days per stay within a one-year validity period.

"I have one round trip through the border in the morning and in the evening every day. Now, there are still many tourists passing through the border on weekends. This channel (for multiple round-trip passengers) is very convenient for teachers or students attending schools," said a teacher from the Macao University of Science and Technology.

Data also showed that the number of foreign tourists passing through the Hengqin Port has increased from 11,000 four years ago to 360,000 in the past year, with an average annual increase of 138 percent.

"Since the beginning of this year, Hengqin Port has handled over 20 million and 2.3 million passenger and vehicle trips, up 33.5 percent and 45.6 percent year on year, respectively. The annual passenger and vehicle traffic is expected to set a new record," said Wang.

Hengqin Port connecting Guangdong, Macao sees surge in passenger, vehicle flow

China has stepped up efforts to promote the implementation of its multiple key marine ecological protection projects since the beginning of this year, with a balance between marine ecological protection and marine economic development.

In the waters off Weizhou Island in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, coral colonies cultivated through ecological restoration projects have successfully achieved large-scale natural spawning for the first time this year. The milestone indicates that a complete ecological self-recovery system has been established in the artificially restored marine area.

Across the country, the pace of construction on major ecological projects, including the Blue Bay environmental improvement initiative and coral reef restoration efforts, has accelerated since the beginning of the year.

Meanwhile, pilot projects of the Harmonious and Beautiful Islands program have advanced steadily, with the first batch of 33 islands covered by the program taking shape as models of green landscapes, clean shores, clear waters and abundant marine life.

The improved health of coastal ecosystems is now fueling growth in emerging marine industries.

"From January to April, China's marine economy achieved innovation-driven and high-quality development. Marine passenger traffic and passenger turnover increased by 7.3 percent and 11.1 percent year on year, respectively. Several marine-derived medicines have also gained approval for clinical trials. Next, we will remain committed to protecting our country's blue seas and coastlines, and further strengthen the blue foundation for sustainable use of marine resources," said Meng Qinglei, deputy director of the Department of Marine Strategy, Planning and Economy at the Ministry of Natural Resources.

China achieves balanced development of marine ecology, economy