Macau International Airport Hengqin Upstream Cargo Terminal Handles First Shipment, Marking Substantive Progress in Macau‑Hengqin Aviation Logistics Integration

On August 26, the joint interview delegation themed “Leveraging New Advantages to Align with the 15th Five-Year Plan” visited the Macau International Airport Hengqin Upstream Cargo Terminal. The visit witnessed the first outbound cargo shipment via the pilot operation of cargo-loading functions at the terminal.

The Macau International Airport Hengqin Upstream Cargo Terminal, Photo by Bastille Post

This pilot project signals that the integrated development of Macau and Hengqin air logistics has entered a substantive operational phase, marking a crucial step forward in the Macau-Hengqin integration project.

The Macau International Airport Hengqin Upstream Cargo Terminal, Photo by Bastille Post

The Macau International Airport Hengqin Upstream Cargo Terminal, Photo by Bastille Post

The cargo will be containerised and palletised at the Hengqin Upstream Cargo Terminal prior to shipment. Photo by Bastille Post

The Hengqin Upstream Cargo Terminal has launched an operating model of "Hengqin pickup, Macau flight." Located approximately 13 kilometres from the Macau International Airport, the terminal will integrate multiple functions, including air cargo, international express delivery, and comprehensive warehousing, with a designed annual logistics handling capacity of 300,000 tonnes.

Customs inspection and cargo sorting, Photo by Bastille Post

Customs inspection and cargo sorting, Photo by Bastille Post

Upon arrival at the Hengqin Port, the trucks utilised the Guangdong-Macao Customs Single E-lock Scheme for fast customs clearance, directly transporting the goods to the Macau International Airport for loading and shipment. Photo by Bastille Post

On August 25, after completing the container loading and palletising operations at the Hengqin Upstream Cargo Terminal, two large trucks with both Guangdong and Macau licence plates departed from the Nam Kwong (Hengqin) Logistics Center carrying the first batch of goods, arriving at the Hengqin Port. Upon arrival at the Hengqin Port, the trucks utilised the Guangdong-Macao Customs Single E-lock Scheme for fast customs clearance, directly transporting the goods to the Macau International Airport for loading and shipment.

On August 25, after completing the container loading and palletising operations at the Hengqin Upstream Cargo Terminal, two large trucks with both Guangdong and Macau licence plates departed from the Nam Kwong (Hengqin) Logistics Center carrying the first batch of goods, arriving at the Hengqin Port. Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

According to sources, two trucks carrying cross‑border e‑commerce products and daily necessities departed for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Clark, Philippines, on August 26 and 27, respectively.

The trucks underwent customs inspection. Photo by Bastille Post

The trucks underwent customs inspection. Photo by Bastille Post

Wu Chuangwei, Director of the Industrial Development Bureau of Hengqin Direcco de Desenvolvimento Industrial de Hengqin, introduced that Hengqin and Macao will accelerate the construction of the Hengqin Upstream Cargo Terminal, which is planned to be completed and put into operation by mid-2027, achieving integrated operation with the Macau International Airport, promoting cooperation between the Hengqin Upstream Cargo Terminal and the Nam Kwong (Hengqin) Logistics Centre, and effectively supporting the Macau International Airport in enhancing its cargo capacity.

Wu Chuangwei, Director of the Industrial Development Bureau of Hengqin Direcco de Desenvolvimento Industrial de Hengqin, Photo by Bastille Post

The Hengqin Upstream Cargo Terminal will embed customs supervision into the core chain of international air logistics, achieving "dual forwarding" of airport security checks and customs supervision. Zhang Lifen, Deputy Director of Hengqin Customs affiliated to Gongbei Customs, stated that compared with traditional export goods, this customs clearance process involves domestic vehicles delivering goods into the terminal, palletising them, and then using dedicated cross-border vehicles, effectively reducing enterprise operating costs; achieving a seamless connection of "supervision and release first, palletising then export." Furthermore, this customs clearance, based on the nationally pioneering "Guangdong-Macao Joint One-Stop Vehicle Clearance Model," further incorporates the Guangdong-Macao Customs Single E-lock Scheme, achieving rapid and low-intervention customs clearance for vehicles and goods at the port.

Zhang Lifen, Deputy Director of Hengqin Customs affiliated to Gongbei Customs, Photo by Bastille Post

Zeng Xiang, Deputy Head of the HengQin Immigration Inspection Station, explained that this pilot border inspection programme optimises police force allocation and standardises industry processes to ensure the rapid passage of personnel and vehicles. He stated that the inspection station will further strengthen the application of high-tech methods such as iris scanning in the future, promoting intelligent port inspection and supporting the rapid development of the Hengqin-Macau air logistics industry.

Zeng Xiang, Deputy Head of the HengQin Immigration Inspection Station, Photo by Bastille Post

Zhao Youxue, General Manager of Guangdong Hengqin Macau International Airport Logistics Co., Ltd., pointed out that the Hengqin Upstream Cargo Terminal is a key platform for the coordinated development of international air logistics between Macau and Hengqin. He stated that the project can help Macau participate in the joint construction of the "Air Silk Road" and strengthen the cargo hub function of Macau International Airport.

Zhao Youxue, General Manager of Guangdong Hengqin Macau International Airport Logistics Co., Ltd., Photo by Bastille Post

On August 26, the joint interview delegation themed “Leveraging New Advantages to Align with the 15th Five-Year Plan” visited the China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) in Songshan Lake Science City, Dongguan. It is China's first and the world’s fourth pulsed spallation neutron source.

The China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS), Photo by Bastille Post

The China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS), Photo by Bastille Post

The first phase of CSNS is currently operating steadily. The second phase, which began construction in 2024, is scheduled for completion in 2029. Upon completion, the project is expected to markedly enhance neutron flux and substantially broaden the scope of scientific inquiry, facilitating advanced research in quantum materials, superconducting materials, and micro‑biological structures.

The China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS), Photo by Bastille Post

The China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS), Photo by Bastille Post

Spallation neutron sources are expensive, technologically complex, and experimentally demanding. Apart from China, only the U.K., the U.S., and Japan operate such facilities. After nearly two decades of planning and construction, CSNS was completed in Songshan Lake in 2018 and officially began operations.

Tong Xin, Deputy Director of the Spallation Neutron Source Science Center, explained that neutron techniques are applied across disciplines including new energy, chemistry and biology, and archaeology. Since neutrons offer exceptional capabilities for probing the internal structure of bulk materials, they have been used by Professor Huang Mingxin's team at the University of Hong Kong to study the microscopic mechanisms behind the “high strength plus high toughness” of super steel.

Tong Xin, Deputy Director of the Spallation Neutron Source Science Center, Photo by Bastille Post

The facility currently has over 11,000 registered users worldwide and has completed roughly 2,500 experiments. Its beam supply duration and operational efficiency rank among the top of similar facilities globally. Seven universities in Hong Kong and Macau, including the University of Hong Kong and City University of Hong Kong, have conducted 131 cutting-edge experiments using CSNS, producing numerous world-class research results.

In 2024, CSNS, together with eight universities in Hong Kong and Macau, the Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre, and the Greater Bay Area Association of Academicians, applied to jointly build the “Southern Advanced Light Source," aiming to construct the first large-scale scientific facility for a synchrotron radiation light source in the Greater Bay Area.

The China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS), Photo by Bastille Post

The China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS), Photo by Bastille Post

Tong Xin noted that the Southern Advanced Light Source is currently in the pre-research stage and has not yet received formal approval. Once built, it will become the fourth national fourth-generation synchrotron radiation light source, complementing the neutron source and jointly supporting microscopic detection of matter.

The China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS), Photo by Bastille Post

The Shenzhou-23 crewed spacecraft, which carried Hong Kong‘s first female astronaut, also involved neutron source technology. Tong Xin explained that the team used a neutron source on the ground to simulate space neutrons, ensuring that the chips inside the spacecraft were not damaged by high-energy neutron bombardment during launch. “The tests we conducted provided very good protection for the launch vehicle,” he said.