The DAB on Friday welcomed news of the opening of the Huanggang port, saying it will further boost Greater Bay Area connectivity and tourism.

Party vice-chairman and lawmaker Brave Chan said the port not only connects Hong Kong with mainland cities, but also presents vast business opportunities.

"This shows how the Greater Bay Area – as Chief Executive John Lee has said – fosters 'soft connectivity' [by deepening the alignment of rules and mechanisms], promotes 'hard connectivity' [in infrastructure], and achieves 'connectivity of hearts' [among residents of Hong Kong, Macao and Guangdong]," he said.

“It also brings vast business opportunities for Hong Kong because the port is so popular. We hope to see more tourists, especially high-end visitors, come to Hong Kong to spend."

Party lawmaker Yiu Ming, who represents the New Territories North constituency, urged police and relevant departments to be fully prepared and implement traffic arrangements and crowd control measures in the event of an emergency.

He said he was concerned that the port’s opening could add pressure to traffic in the San Tin area and on nearby major roads, affecting local residents.

To handle the larger passenger flows expected during peak hours and holiday periods in the future, Yiu said authorities should consider launching additional bus routes connecting the port to the city’s railway network to help disperse crowds.



Edited by Edmond Fong