THE new Huanggang Checkpoint, which is now under construction, will adopt the co-location juxtaposed control upon operation in 2022, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported yesterday.

The reconstruction of the decades-old checkpoint started at the end of November.

At a ceremony Sunday marking the 30th anniversary of the operation of the checkpoint, the largest land checkpoint in Asia, the city’s exit-entry inspection administration said 300 million vehicles and 1 billion people had crossed the border between Shenzhen and Hong Kong via the checkpoint in 30 years.

Statistics from Huanggang Customs show the volume of commodities passing through Huanggang Checkpoint in 2018 accounted for 10 percent of China’s total foreign trade.

The city decided to rebuild the checkpoint to enhance its functions serving the construction of Shenzhen as a pilot demonstration area of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Geographically, Huanggang Checkpoint is the core area of Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science Innovation Cooperation Zone and a link between  the National Science Center and Guangzhou-Shenzhen Science and Technology Corridor.

Upon completion, the new facility will cover an area of 87,500 square meters. The total construction area is roughly 400,000 square meters. The overall planning and design costs could run as high as 50 million yuan (US$7 million).

It is designed to handle 200,000 border-crossing travelers a day. During holidays, the number could rise to 300,000 per day.

The new checkpoint includes a tourist inspection building, an inspection channel, a bus pickup and drop-off area, a key inspection parking lot and a connecting layer for public transportation.

It will discontinue cargo inspection services and become an inspection-only checkpoint for tourists.

According to He Liyao, an official with Shenzhen’s port office, the new checkpoint will be a modern first-class hub, integrating two intercity rails, Metro services and other public transport services.

Located in Futian District, Huanggang Checkpoint was the first checkpoint on the mainland to implement 24-hour border crossing in January 2003.

It is also the only 24-hour customs clearance checkpoint between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. In 2018, 252 million visitors used Shenzhen’s checkpoints.(Han Ximin)