Hong Kong's border with the mainland opened around the clock for the first time this morning with the start of 24-hour operations at the Lok Ma Chau checkpoint.
Passengers and trucks continued to criss-cross the border beyond midnight thanks to lengthy negotiations over the round-the-clock opening between Hong Kong and the central government.
The breakthrough came last month after a visit by Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa to Beijing.
The move has been seen as an important step in Hong Kong's integration with the Pearl River Delta region.
Secretary for Security Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee was on hand in the early hours of the morning to witness the start of round-the-clock crossings.
In the 30 minutes after midnight, the Immigration Department recorded 293 people leaving Hong Kong for Shenzhen, and 186 coming back the other way.
The government estimates that, on average, 1,000 people will cross the border per hour.