Data recently released by Gongbei Customs shows that the passenger and freight business of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Zhuhai Highway Port will grow significantly in 2023, with the three indicators of passenger flow, vehicle flow, and freight volume all reaching new highs. In 2023, the number of inbound and outbound trucks on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge will exceed 575,600, an increase of 25%; the freight volume will be 2.5976 million tons, an increase of 16.34%. The port inspected and released 2.68 million inbound and outbound passenger vehicles, an increase of 1.35 times over the previous year. At the same time, more than 16.3 million passengers entered and exited through the Zhuhai Highway Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, 1.29 times the number in 2019. This is a brilliant year-end report card, which strongly proves the hub status of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and shatters various rumors about the bridge's utilization rate.
The report card of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge marks a new milestone in the integrated development of the Greater Bay Area. Since last year, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has received major policy benefits and has become the only designated port for vehicles from Hong Kong and Macao heading north, resulting in rapid growth in cross-border traffic flow. In 2023, the number of "Hong Kong cars going north" and "Macau cars going north" will exceed 1.395 million, accounting for more than 42.7% of the total traffic flow and contributing more than 84% to the growth of traffic flow. More and more Hong Kong and Macao residents choose to go to the west bank of the Pearl River via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge for tourism, business studies, and family visits and retirement. In 2023, there will be more than 9.927 million Hong Kong and Macao residents entering and leaving the mainland via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, accounting for nearly 61% of the total inbound and outbound passenger flow. It is understood that the policy of "Guangdong cars going south" will also be implemented in 2024, and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge will usher in another wave of traffic and passenger flow.
The report card of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge reflects the active efforts of Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao to develop corridor economies. The opening of the bridge has restructured the logistics network of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and will inevitably lead to a reallocation of market resources. Data shows that as of September 2023, a total of 15,379 Hong Kong and Macao companies have been registered in Zhuhai, 5,279 more than before the opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. Over the past five years since the bridge was opened to traffic, the total value of goods imported and exported through the Zhuhai Highway Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has exceeded 700 billion yuan, of which cross-border e-commerce exports have exceeded 100 billion yuan. At present, 700,000 parcels are sent out every day at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge port, and the goods receiving and sending places have achieved full coverage of 31 provinces in the mainland, and the market involves 239 countries and regions. A bridge not only connects the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, but also connects the whole world. The huge spin-off effects have greatly inspired Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. At the end of 2023, Zhuhai City issued a special document to accelerate the construction of a new economic and trade channel for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, and provide policy support for projects such as warehousing, logistics, cold chain, and smart facilities. Hong Kong moved the international marathon to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge to introduce Hong Kong's new advantages to the world. Macau has opened the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge Macau Cross-Border Cargo Transfer Station, which operates 24 hours a day. All three places are taking action, racing against time to seize opportunities and make the channel economy bigger and stronger.
The report card of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge includes bonus points for efficient customs clearance mode. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge adopts the country's first passenger and truck-type "one-stop" system of customs. Drivers can go through customs clearance procedures with the joint inspection department in one "stop". At present, the maximum one-way inspection and release capacity of the passenger car channel at the bridge port exceeds 900 vehicles per hour. The customs and port security inspection departments innovatively adopt the "one machine, two screens" model. Passengers' luggage items only need to "go through the plane once", and customs and port security inspections can share images and "go through the inspection in one go". In December 2023, the "Fly via Zhuhai-Hong Kong" passenger transport project will be implemented. Passengers heading to the Hong Kong International Airport via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge will be able to go directly to the airport without going through Hong Kong entry and exit procedures after completing the inspection by the mainland border inspection department. Zhuhai Highway The port has become the only mainland port with direct land access to the Hong Kong International Airport.
The sky opens and a rainbow rises from the sea, and the majestic power is endless. From "Hong Kong cars going north" and "Macau cars going north" to "Guangdong cars going south", from "Guangdong goods leaving the port" to "flying via Zhuhai and Hong Kong", the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has let the world see that the Chinese can not only build high-quality A world-class bridge can be built well, and a world-class bridge can be well managed. How many "gameplays" are there to be unlocked, and how many opportunities are there to be tapped? We look forward to the wonderful sequel of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge!
(Economic Daily Liu Liang)