Immigration checkpoints in Shenzhen City of south China's Guangdong Province are expected to see a surge in arrivals and departures of athletes and staff for the upcoming 15th National Games, which will run from Nov 9-21.
The Games will be co-hosted by Guangdong Province and the neighboring Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions. To ensure smooth and efficient cross-border travel for personnel and supplies, the Shenzhen Bay Port and West Kowloon Station Port have launched a range of facilitation measures, including dedicated lanes and fast-track inspection services.
"To facilitate customs clearance for the 15th National Games, we have set up dedicated lanes for travelers and also exclusive lanes for passengers carried by passing vehicles. These lanes are available on a regular basis at the manual inspection channels," said Shi Li, officer at the Shenzhen Bay Border Inspection Station.
"We'll be staying in Hong Kong for about 14 days. We entered Hong Kong through the Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint, where the staff provided us with an excellent green channel and made our passage very convenient," said Zhou Zhiguo, team leader of the Shanghai Beach Volleyball Team.
The West Kowloon Station Port has optimized its passenger flow management system to ensure a smooth and hospitality experience for all cross-border participants.
"We maintain close communication with Hong Kong's Immigration Department, Customs, and MTR Corporation to ensure that participating teams and guests can clear customs smoothly," said Jiang Jiang, officer at the West Kowloon Border Inspection Station.
Shenzhen expects surging port entries as 15th National Games approaches
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is deeply concerned about the U.S. rhetoric suggesting possible intervention in the situation in Iran, urging all parties to pursue diplomacy and dialogue in line with the principles of the UN Charter, his spokesperson said on Monday.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that his administration is weighing "some very strong options," including potential military action against Iran amid the unrest across the Middle East country.
At a press briefing Monday at the UN Headquarters in New York, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, conveyed Guterres' alarm over the remarks.
"The rhetoric that we've heard around the situation in Iran, which is concerning to him (Guterres), and he encourages all to adopt a path of diplomacy and dialogue," said Dujarric.
"We push for dialogue, and I think the [UN] Charter is very clear on your question," Dujarric said when asked whether foreign intervention might help resolve the crisis. The UN Charter enshrines core principles including the sovereign equality of all states, non-intervention in the affairs of other states, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
These norms were further reinforced by the 1970 Declaration on Principles of International Law, adopted by the UN General Assembly, which explicitly states that no state or group of states has the right to intervene, directly or indirectly, for any reason whatever, in the internal or external affairs of any other state.
Protests have erupted in several Iranian cities since late December over the sharp fall in the national currency rial and long-standing economic hardships. The reported death toll from the unrest on both sides of the security forces and civilians is mounting.
UN chief urges diplomacy amid US military threats against Iran: spokesperson
