The State Council granted authority for Macao Customs, Public Security Police Force, Firefighters Corps, Judiciary Police, and Health and Transport bureaus to move into a section of the new Hengqin Checkpoint on March 18.

After the opening date is confirmed by the Guangdong and Macao governments, customs clearance time will be cut to less than a minute with a "Joint Inspection & One-Time Release" mode. Travelers will queue up and have documents examined only once.

Macao's 66,428 sq-m (16-acre) legal jurisdiction on the Zhuhai side covers the Passenger Inspection Building, evacuation platform for entrances and exits, and main span of the Lotus Bridge.

The remaining portions defined by the State Council, including cargo and vehicle passages and support facilities, future Channel Bridge (except the piers) connecting to the University of Macau, and reserved space for extension of the Macao Light Rail Transit to Hengqin Checkpoint, will be inaugurated upon approvals.

Hand-over ceremony at midnight March 18

Last October, the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress conferred jurisdiction of the area to Macao, and on March 2, the State Council approved the site to be governed by Macao laws as of March 18.

Macao's lease term runs from the day operations commence until Dec 19, 2049. The lease may be renewed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

Currently, all facilities and signals are in place for border crossings. The first floor, equipped with 53 self-service, six staffed, and four jointly staffed inspection channels, is for travelers exiting Zhuhai for Macao. The second floor is for entry to Zhuhai, and has 43 self-service, seven staffed, and four jointly staffed inspection channels.

Once operational, the new facility is expected to handle 222,000 border crossings daily and an annual throughput of 80 million people. This is expected to greatly enhance infrastructure connectivity, and facilitate the transport, flow of people, as well as commercial and trade activities between Zhuhai and Macao.

New Hengqin Checkpoint [Photos by Shen Yang & Hengqin New Area Administrative Committee to WeChat account: zhuhaifabu]