CY Leung urges more land crossings for Guangdong vehicles with co-location clearance

Former Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has called for allowing Guangdong vehicles to enter Hong Kong through multiple land crossings beyond the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB), using co-location clearance arrangements.

His comments came after authorities announced an initial daily quota of 100 Guangdong vehicles permitted to enter Hong Kong’s urban areas under the first phase of the Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles Scheme. 

Leung noted that the program could simplify cross-border air travel, as passengers in Guangdong-registered vehicles could access flights at Hong Kong International Airport without undergoing separate immigration checks.

He further suggested expanding quotas for Guangdong vehicles to operate within Lantau Island and urged the government to consider gradually extending the arrangement to other land border crossings.

Leung expressed confidence that Hong Kong could overcome jurisdictional, legal, and ideological differences with mainland systems to facilitate smoother integration.

Separately, Leung opposed the proposed HK$200 border construction fee for private vehicles leaving Hong Kong via land crossings, as outlined in this year’s budget. 

He argued that the fee was excessively high and could hinder Hong Kong’s integration with the Greater Bay Area, recommending either a full waiver or a significantly reduced rate.

The proposed fee was excessively high and could hinder Hong Kong's integration with the Greater Bay Area, he argued, suggesting either a full waiver or a significantly reduced rate.

Leung emphasized that minimizing cross-border costs is critical, as Hong Kong's core industries—finance, trade, and professional services—require seamless access to larger mainland markets.