Cross-border lorries can now drive straight through

Cross-border cargo drivers will be able to pick up or deliver goods directly to mainland destinations without having to stop at checkpoints, starting this morning.

The Shenzhen government announced yesterday that all cross-border trucks will observe a point-to-point transport mode starting today, after Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the Shenzhen authorities have agreed to relax logistics restrictions.

He said the Hong Kong government attaches great importance to resuming quarantine-free travel with the mainland and he has appealed to mainland authorities to relax its border restrictions and increase the entry quota.

Sources said Beijing is considering reopening the border with Hong Kong through a trial scheme before the Lunar New Year, which will allow Hong Kong travelers to skip quarantine and observe three-day medical surveillance only.

It is understood that the quota for the trial scheme will allow most Hongkongers who wish to reunite with their families during the Lunar New Year to return home.

At the moment, cross-border drivers have to hand over their goods to mainland drivers at the Shenzhen border to let them finish driving to cargo sites for loading and discharging. "We have reached an agreement with the authorities of Guangdong province and Shenzhen and made the new arrangement," Lee said. "Drivers no longer need to go to designated transfer yards for handover. Instead, they can travel straight to their destinations for goods loading or delivery."

He said the limit of cargo trucks commuting between Hong Kong and Shenzhen every day will also be lifted, and drivers will only need to declare their freight to Shenzhen Customs.

Lee thanked the mainland authorities for the new arrangement to ensure sufficient supplies for Hong Kong.

Stanley Chiang Chi-wai, chairman of the Hong Kong Land Transport Council and the Lok Ma Chau China-Hong Kong Freight Association, welcomed the arrangement.

"The cost of the previous mode in which our drivers had to hand over their trucks to mainland drivers for delivery was very high. It costs twice as much as requiring our drivers to transport the goods point-to-point by themselves," he said.

Chiang added the handover arrangement takes longer and that the new arrangement would be beneficial for both cross-border drivers and local consumers.

He also hopes the mainland and SAR authorities could further relax the anti-Covid measures for cross-border drivers.

Currently drivers have to take two PCR tests a day - one in Hong Kong and the other in the mainland. Chiang urged the authorities to let drivers take only one test a day.

He said many truck drivers have switched jobs amid the pandemic. It is also difficult for the industry to hire new drivers as the mainland suspended issuing licenses to Hong Kong truck drivers.

Asked when Hong Kong will cancel the LeaveHomeSafe app and vaccine pass policy, Lee said the Health Bureau is reviewing the SAR's anti-epidemic measures. Only a few anti-Covid measures are left, including LeaveHomeSafe and the vaccine pass arrangement, Lee said.

However, the government will still need to monitor the local pandemic situation due to the recent surge in caseload and deaths, he said.

Health Secretary Lo Chung-mau said the LeaveHomeSafe app may help the city fight other new infectious diseases.

"With the evolution of the pandemic, there are changes in various ways: the virus has mutated, our vaccination rate has increased, our immunity barrier has strengthened, so we may have to adjust some of the functions of the LeaveHomeSafe app," he said.

"Perhaps in the future, we may still need to rely on LeaveHomeSafe to fight against other emerging infectious diseases."

Hong Kong recorded 14,918 new cases yesterday - 14,233 local and 685 imported - and 24 deaths.

Twenty-two elderly homes and 12 disabled homes reported 40 infections, while three classes of three schools with outbreaks were suspended for a week.