Cross-border travellers in the Shenzhen Western Corridor face only a short walk between the Hong Kong and mainland immigration checkpoints at the new 'one location, two inspections' facility approved by Beijing. Unlike other road border crossings, people will only have to get out of the vehicles once to go through immigration procedures after passing through the joint customs and immigration building in Shekou. At present travellers must leave their vehicles twice. Director of Immigration Lai Tung-kwok said travellers would have a similar experience at the Lo Wu rail crossing, with the checkpoints separated by no more than 80 metres. Mr Lai said the Hong Kong side would have more than 30 e-channels for self-service immigration clearance and more than 50 clearance counters. Recruitment of about 300 new officers for the Immigration Department for the new checkpoint had started. Commissioner of Customs and Excise Timothy Tong Hin-ming said earlier that his department would hire 700 people to handle the customs duties at the new checkpoint. The bill, approved by the National People's Congress Standing Committee on Tuesday, marks the first time Hong Kong jurisdiction has been extended across the border. Mr Lai said the passage between the checkpoints would be divided between Hong Kong and mainland jurisdiction but did not say how. And he insisted that there would not be a vacuum of jurisdiction at the passage. 'There will be an area with Hong Kong officials maintaining order according to Hong Kong laws,' he said, without elaborating. The Western Corridor - with a bridge spanning Deep Bay - is due to open in July, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the handover. Speaking after attending the 12th Pacific Rim Immigration Intelligence Conference yesterday, Mr Lai said the opening of the Western Corridor would further ease traffic at busy checkpoints, especially Lok Ma Chau, and they would continue to co-operate closely with their mainland counterparts to work out the details for the checkpoints. He said that because the 'one location, two inspections' system was a new concept, many details needed to be worked out. A Security Bureau spokeswoman yesterday said legislation would be introduced that would allow Hong Kong immigration and customs officers to conduct border control duties on the mainland.
