Hong Kong urged to change approach to scheme allowing mainland China vehicles into city

Chinese commerce minister earlier called for restrictions to be overcome in the roll-out of the ‘Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles’ scheme

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The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge has “enormous potential”, a top mainland official says. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 11:09pm, 27 Aug 2024Updated: 11:19am, 28 Aug 2024

Lawmakers and a former Hong Kong leader have urged the government to take a less restrictive approach to a scheme that will allow hundreds of private cars from mainland China and Macau to enter the city after a senior Beijing official singled out the initiative as being in need of “reform and breakthroughs”.

Their remarks on Tuesday followed a call by commerce minister Wang Wentao a day earlier to overcome restrictions in the roll-out of the “Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles” scheme as he briefed local officials, lawmakers and businesspeople on the “spirit” of the Chinese Communist Party’s third plenum, held in July.

Wang noted in his speech on Monday that “some measures” would have to be taken to overcome restrictions in facilitating southbound travel by mainland Chinese motorists, and pointed to the new road link between Zhongshan and Shenzhen to underscore the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge’s “enormous potential”.

Under the local government’s current plan, several hundred private cars from Macau and Guangdong province will be able to cross the mega bridge each day when the scheme debuts by the end of this year or in early 2025.

But motorists must park at a facility with more than 1,000 automated spaces near Hong Kong airport before proceeding to take a flight or enter the city via the mega bridge’s checkpoint in the scheme’s initial phase. No details or a timeline for a second stage have been announced.

Commerce minister Wang Wentao has been holding briefings in Hong Kong. Photo: Elson Li

Meanwhile, more than 64,000 cars have been allowed to make their way into Guangdong under the “Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles” scheme, which marked its first anniversary on July 1.