Opening of Hengqin port delayed

The opening of the new Hengqin port has been postponed, Secretary for Administration and Justice André Cheong Weng Chon has announced.

Previously, Cheong said that the port could start operations in the first quarter of this year. That deadline has been pushed back due to the current epidemic situation.

The port’s construction and facility installation has been completed. However, due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the Zhuhai and Macau governments are not able to currently conduct the human traffic simulation test across the port. The test will only occur as soon as the epidemic becomes stable.

The Macau local government will be paying rent to mainland China to use their land for one of the port’s checkpoint facilities. Cheong said that the rent will be “very low” and merely “symbolic”, but declined to disclose the exact amount.

In addition to the rent, the local government will also be paying the electricity and water bills for the facility. The Chairman of the Second Standing Committee of the Legislative Assembly (AL) Chan Chak Mo reported that the rent will not be included in the bill but will be determined as a written contract between Macau and Zhuhai. JZ