• The ‘Joint Inspection and One-time Release’ principle will be applied to the customs clearance at Hengqin port

Jurisdiction of Macao’s Port Zone at Hengqin Port Handed to the City

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China’s top legislature voted to adopt a decision on authorising the hand of the jurisdiction of Macao’s port zone at Hengqin port and its extended areas in Guangdong Province to the Macao SAR on 26th October in the fourteenth meeting of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC).

Hengqin port is the second-largest land-based boundary crossing between the Macao SAR and the Mainland, and construction plans of the Hengqin port and a comprehensive transportation hub have been rolled out in recent years.

The decision of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress is as below:

  1. Macao will administrate the Macao’s port zone at the Hengqin port and its extended areas from the day they are put into use in accordance with the laws of the Macao SAR.

  2. The Central Government authorised the jurisdiction of Macao’s port zone at Hengqin port, Lotus Bridge and the area that connects University of Macau to the Hengqin port (except the pier), as well as the reserved space of the Macao Light Rail to the Hengqin Port to the Macao SAR. The reserved space will be used for the construction of vehicle tunnels, platforms and light rail facilities such as closed passages connecting the stations and the Macao’s port zone.

  3. The Macao SAR Government would obtain - by way of lease - the right to use the Macao’s port zone at Hengqin port and its extended area. The lease term would run from the inauguration date until 19th December 2049. When lease period ends, it can be extended with the approval from the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.

Macao SAR Government would follow the decision of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and work diligently on the related processes, including local legislation and preparation for the relocation of the Lotus Bridge Checkpoint. The Macao SAR Government would collaborate closely with the Guangdong and Zhuhai authorities in order to implement the ‘Joint Inspection and One-time Release’ principle to customs clearance between Macao and Hengqin.