It begins next week– a little piece of Hong Kong will implement mainland law for a project that’s caused a lot of controversy.
Mainland customs and immigration officials will on Tuesday take over parts of the Express Rail Terminus in West Kowloon ahead of the high-speed route’s expected opening on September 23.
According to a government statement , the commencement notice for the ‘co-location’ bill, which allows for the arrangement, will be gazetted today and, from September 4, Chinese officials will take control of the Mainland Port Area (MPA).
“Mainland personnel stationed at the area will make final preparations for the implementation of the co-location arrangement. They shall not enforce the law in any area outside the Mainland Port Area,” the statement read.
Under the bill — which is still the subject of a judicial review brought by opponents who argue it violates the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution — mainland authorities will lease areas of the station.
And according to a document submitted to Legco, they’ve got a pretty good deal for West Kowloon — a nominal fee of HK$1,000 a year (US$127).
The fee pales in comparison to the CNY8.1 million (HK$9.3 million) Hong Kong has been paying for its clearance area in Shenzhen Bay Port, though according to the document, that will be lowered also to a nominal fee of CNY1000 (HK$1148) starting next year.
In justifying having the Chinese security officials implementing mainland law in Hong Kong, officials have said the arrangement will bring “maximum convenience” to passengers travelling to the mainland.
The Hong Kong Section of the XRL will provide high-speed rail service between West Kowloon Station and 44 Mainland destinations (including 6 short-haul destinations and 38 long-haul destinations.
Getting through immigration, at least in the beginning, will take about 45 minutes, an MTR official stated recently.
