Liantang Port, a land checkpoint in Shenzhen connecting with Hong Kong, processed a record high of over 120,000 crossings in a single day, local immigration authorities said on Saturday, as cross-boundary exchanges between the two cities have surged.
The number of inbound and outbound travelers passing through Liantang reached 122,000 on Saturday, with over 90,000 arrivals from Macao and Hong Kong and more than 30,000 departures from the mainland, according to the Shenzhen General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection.
Such a surge in passenger traffic signifies that the Shenzhen-Hong Kong "one-hour living circle" is rapidly transforming from a blueprint into reality. Mainland residents head to Hong Kong for leisure and shopping in the morning, while from noon onwards, Hong Kong and Macao dwellers travel north to Shenzhen for consumption and experiences via this crossing. This high-frequency, regular two-way flow has become a daily choice for residents of the Greater Bay Area on weekends.
Shenzhen's Liantang Port handles record 120,000 daily crossings
A Vietnamese naval fleet arrived in Fangchenggang of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Monday, marking the start of the 10th border defense friendship exchange between China and Vietnam.
The event is set to take place in designated areas and ports in Guangxi of China and Vietnam's Quang Ninh province, as well as waters in the Beibu Gulf during this week.
At 09:00 on Monday, Vietnam's frigates Tran Hung Dao and Ly Thai slowly entered a port in Fangchenggang City. The Vietnamese officers and soldiers received warm welcome from Chinese counterparts of frigates Hengyang and Enshi.
After the welcome ceremony, the Vietnamese fleet commander boarded the Hengyang frigate for a tour, where the two sides held discussions and exchanged souvenirs.
In the coming days, the two sides will organize naval vessel visits, cultural and sports exchanges, and will also form a fleet for the 40th China-Vietnam joint patrols and training exercises in the Beibu Gulf.
They will also hold medical consultations and cultural events with civilians in the border areas.
The China-Vietnam border defense friendship exchange, first held in 2014, is a concrete measure to implement the important consensus reached by leaders of the two parties and countries.
The event will further enhance the traditional friendship between the two countries and their armed forces, strengthen exchanges and mutual trust among personnel at all levels, deepen practical cooperation, and improve their joint ability to safeguard border and related maritime security.
China, Vietnam start 10th border defense friendship exchange
