Mid-Autumn, National Day holidays to bring border crossing surge

China's immigration authorities expect a sharp jump in cross-border passenger flows during the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday, with major Guangdong ports linking Hong Kong and Macao forecast to see heavy two-way traffic.

In the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, multiple cities are rolling out festival-themed cultural and tourism events, and increasingly streamlined border-clearance measures are expected to further drive demand.

At major Zhuhai checkpoints, including the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge port, Gongbei, Hengqin and Qingmao, border authorities forecast a combined 7.43 million entry-and-exit trips during the holiday, averaging 743,000 a day, up more than 10 percent year on year. The main increase is expected to come from mainland residents, with the busiest days forecast for Oct. 3 and Oct. 4.

"I'm planning to use the holiday to go back to Guangzhou and reunite with my family. Qingmao port connects to the intercity rail, so it's convenient for us both ways," said a Macao resident.

In Shenzhen, border inspection authorities forecast average daily cross-border traffic at 980,000 trips across the city's checkpoints during the combined Mid-Autumn and National Day break. Daily trips are expected to exceed 1 million on Sept. 26 and Oct. 3, they said.

Both Shenzhen and Hong Kong have scheduled a packed slate of attractions, including fireworks displays, lantern fairs, cultural heritage performances and themed markets. Officials said continuously upgraded services, such as faster clearance, smoother cross-border payments and improved departure tax-refund services, are helping fuel diversified travel, from short holiday getaways and folk-culture experiences to nighttime leisure trips, drawing travelers in both directions.

"I live in Hong Kong, and basically come to the mainland almost every day. Shenzhen is especially fun, and crossing the border is very convenient," said a Hong Kong resident.

Shenzhen border authorities said they will strengthen monitoring and early warnings to keep queues moving.

"We will focus on smooth clearance and traveler satisfaction, strengthen passenger-flow monitoring and early warnings, and do our utmost to ensure safe, efficient and orderly border crossings," said Zhou Yin, deputy director of border-check division under the Shenzhen Border Inspection Station.

This year's three-day Mid-Autumn Festival runs from Sept. 25 to 27, and the National Day holiday runs from Oct.1 to 7.

Mid-Autumn, National Day holidays to bring border crossing surge

Dialogue and cooperation between China and the United States, the world's two largest economies, matters far beyond the two countries themselves, said Adnan Z. Amin, chair of the officers' council of the World Energy Council (WEC), a global network of energy organizations.

In a recent interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Amin said such dialogue gives the wider world grounds for optimism, and that the economic issues between the two sides can only be resolved through sustained engagement.

"It's absolutely essential. I think when you have two of the biggest economies in the world in dialogue and collaboration, it makes a difference for the rest of the world. It provides an optimistic approach, it provides a positive kind of perspective of where we can be going. There are hard issues to discuss. The economic trade-offs are not inconsequential. They need to be addressed. And the best way to do it is through dialogue. And to see President Xi in Washington today is very encouraging, because I think that dialogue is essential today," he said.

Amin added that policymakers should set aside reflexive hostility and focus on the tangible benefits that cooperation can bring to people in both countries.

"We need to get beyond this kind of knee-jerk antagonism that you see in certain policy circles in different countries around the world to really look at what is the reality today. How will our collaboration improve the lot of people in our countries? And what are the best areas for us to do (work on) and who has to take responsibility for what. This is essential," he said.

China-U.S. dialogue "absolutely essential" for world: WEC chair