Lease deal likely to end stand-off over joint immigration checkpoint for rail link from Hong Kong to mainland China
Plan for mainland law enforcers to help man joint checkpoint set to be announced next week
Hong Kong is expected to lease space inside the future high-speed rail terminus at West Kowloon to mainland Chinese authorities to implement a plan for a joint immigration checkpoint, under a deal to be announced as early as next week.
The proposal will likely see mainland laws enforced on Hong Kong soil within the leased area, where mainland border control facilities will be installed, according to two lawmakers familiar with the arrangement.
Mainland officers would man the facilities and Hong Kong law enforcers would only venture into the area in the case of an emergency such as an accident or fire.
Legislator Michael Tien Puk-sun, a local deputy to the National People’s Congress, the nation’s top legislative body, said he was aware of the arrangement and did not expect significant resistance from the public to the plan.
“It is the easiest way to implement co-location [of immigration checkpoints],” Tien said. “But it will be important for the NPC Standing Committee to make a decision to declare that such an arrangement does not breach Hong Kong law. This should expel public fears or any possible legal trouble in the future.”