The bridge that connects China’s Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao saw over 130,000 passengers on Monday, setting a new daily record since its opening in 2018.
The previous daily record was set during the National Day holidays in 2023, with more than 115,000 passengers going through the world’s longest sea-crossing bridge.
The increase in passengers is primarily due to the Chinese Lunar New Year, during which people like to unite with their family members. The New Year festival for 2024 lasts from February 10 to 17.
Travelers from Hong Kong and Macao to nearby Guangdong Province and mainlanders heading for the two special administration regions are the two main sources of passengers across the bridge during the festival, according to statistics from border inspection staff in Zhuhai City.
China Media Group (CMG), in a report, attributed the increase in passengers to new open policies imposed by the bridge managers, which allow more private cars from Hong Kong and Macao to enter the mainland.
New Year celebrations in Hong Kong and Macao also attracted more mainlanders than before, resulting in a larger return flow of passengers.
The total number of passengers for the three days from February 10 to 12 reached 310,000, over five times the number in the same period in 2023.
According to the border inspection staff, more than 60 percent of the passengers are Hong Kong and Macao residents.
Border inspection boosted manpower to open more checkpoints and extended service hours to speed up the customs process.
Read more: Consumption boom strengthens Shenzhen-Hong Kong, Macao connections
(Cover via CMG.)
