According to reports on August 29, 2026, a large-scale drill involving two萬人 took place at the new Lok Ma Chau / Huanggang Port. Officials designed the simulation to evaluate transport capacity and passenger flow management ahead of the official border reopening.
To test transport capacity, authorities arranged for two萬人 civil servants to arrive at the building in batches using approximately 300 public transport vehicles. The drill utilized all 202 clearance counters across the facility. If you agree to ‘face-scanning clearance’, the next time you cross the border, you won’t need to take out your physical documents.” Meanwhile, personnel from the Shenzhen side staffed traditional manual counters to inspect traveler documents.
Among the participants, a large number of civil servants returned to Hong Kong in five batches to simulate a passenger flow of 3,000 people arriving from the mainland every five minutes. This volume matched the scheduling intervals of Shenzhen railway arrivals at Huanggang. During the exercise, an on-site test of the terminal’s free Wi-Fi revealed connection errors that required reporters to switch back to mobile data.
Did You Know? During the two萬人 drill, authorities also staged a simulated emergency in the vehicle inspection layer where an electric vehicle battery accidentally caught fire and smoked, prompting firefighters to extinguish the flames and paramedics to treat and remove a driver.
Operational Improvements and Border Crossing Rules
He also clarified that when using e-Channels, Hong Kong residents can freely use either their Home Return Permit or their Hong Kong identity card regardless of whether they are entering or exiting from the Hong Kong or mainland side.
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The exercise marked the final large-scale test planned for the facility. Authorities will conduct an internal review with Shenzhen counterparts regarding safety and operational smoothness to determine the official opening date.
What documents can travelers use at the e-Channels?
Hong Kong residents can use either their Hong Kong identity card or their Home Return Permit interchangeably when passing through e-Channels on either side of the border.
How many people participated in the testing exercise?
A total of two萬人 civil servants took part in the simulation, arriving in batches via public transport.
When will the new Lok Ma Chau / Huanggang Port officially open?
Authorities have not yet announced a fixed opening date; officials will make a final decision following internal reviews with Shenzhen counterparts.
How do you view the readiness of the new port based on these large-scale public transit and clearance tests?
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