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Ernest Kao

North District representatives are calling on the government to redevelop a shopping centre in the border town of Sha Tau Kok, parts of which are still a frontier closed area, to take the pressure off nearby towns struggling with an influx of mainland tourists and parallel-goods traders.
The district councillors say about 150 shops - many now shut - in its main market area can be refurbished to sell goods to mainlanders, who would otherwise head to towns such as Sheung Shui or Tuen Mun for necessities such as milk powder.
Anger has been growing over parallel traders as mainlanders head to Hong Kong to buy goods tax-free to resell across the border at a profit.
Wan Wo-fai, representing Sha Ta constituency, backed the shopping redevelopment.
He said: "It will cause less friction with locals as they will come here, shop and go back to the mainland without having to take [local] public transport."
He added the project could help revitalise the community's economy and provide jobs to about 2,000 people.
Industrial constituency lawmaker Lam Tai-fai, who visited the area yesterday, said the government should consider the councillors' proposal. His view was echoed by Democratic Party chairwoman Emily Lau Wai-hing, who joined the visit with other Legco members.
The town's centre is still a closed area, heavily patrolled by police. Special permits are required for the general public to visit. Although the government has gradually reduced the size of the restricted area since 2012, Wan said there had been almost no development in the town.
"The government has given us no timetable or schedule on when full opening will be complete," he said. "There is no need for this security. We feel like we've been given a prison sentence with no end in sight."
The frontier town is separated from the mainland by Chung Ying Street - a porous "border" with no physical barriers or checkpoints - which would form part of the redevelopment.
The once bustling street was a major shopping and tourist attraction to mainlanders in the 1980s and 1990s until restrictions on mainland visitors travelling to other parts of Hong Kong were relaxed.
Security Bureau principal assistant secretary Vic Yau Cheuk-hang said any development would have to respect that part of the town was still restricted.


Sha Tau Kok shops plan would take pressure off other border areas, local councillors argue

Police stand guard at the Chung Ying Street post in the partially closed-off border town of Sha Tau Kok yesterday. District councillors want the government to open a shopping mall in the area for mainland visitors. Photo: Nora Tam

Chung Ying Street, the porous border between Sha Tau Kok and Shenzhen. The street separates the mainland  from Hong Kong. Photo: SCMP

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Hong Kong

Closed border area 'would take pressure off towns struggling with mainland influx'
