On October 12, the rebuilt Huanggang Port was officially opened for operation, and the Shenzhen-Hong Kong land port implemented "cooperative inspection and one-time release" for the first time. In the early morning, the majestic national anthem was played at the port, the five-star red flag rose slowly, and the golden slogan "Guangdong and Hong Kong are one family, the Bay Area is one family" was particularly eye-catching. At this moment, we witness not only the return of a port, but also an institutional breakthrough in cross-border collaborative governance under "one country, two systems". The integrated development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area will surely reach a new level.
The support of the state is the most solid foundation for this “super port”. In 2023, the "Shenzhen Park Development Plan for the Loop Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone" issued by the State Council clearly required "accelerating the overall reconstruction of Huanggang Port"; since then, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress has authorized the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to exercise jurisdiction over the Hong Kong Port Area in accordance with the law, providing a legal basis for "one place, two inspections"; approved by the State Council, the "15th Five-Year Plan for Port Modernization" listed Huanggang Port as a highway port project for smart port construction. The reconstruction of the world's largest land port lasted seven years. From top-level design to institutional supply, it was always promoted under the central coordination. Facts have fully proved that the breakthrough reforms achieved by Huanggang Port are inseparable from the strong support of the country.
The unity between Shenzhen and Hong Kong is the most touching background of this port. Shenzhen released about 50 hectares of land to be injected into the Loop Shenzhen Park, and Hong Kong released about 20 hectares of land for Xintian Science and Technology City. The two places resonated on the same frequency and were mutually beneficial and win-win. Before the opening of the port, the two sides jointly carried out more than 200 special drills, from joint equipment debugging to emergency response, to ensure that nothing went wrong. From the all-weather customs clearance for cargo inspection in 1994, to the first 24-hour "non-closing" travel inspection in 2003, and now 134 self-service lanes, 68 manual counters, and 28 "five-in-one" vehicle inspection lanes, each round of improvement at Huanggang Port confirms the firm will of Shenzhen and Hong Kong to work together and seek common development.
From a "logistics channel" to an "innovation hub", the Xinhuanggang Port demonstrates the confidence of high-quality development in the Bay Area. The former "golden port" no longer carries goods and has turned into the "gateway" of the Loop Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone. More than 100 innovation and technology companies and nearly 2,000 scientific researchers have settled in the Loop Hong Kong Park. Across the river, the Xintian Science and Technology City is ready to take shape. "Hong Kong R&D, Bay Area manufacturing, and global sales" are accelerating. With the access of the Northern Ring Line branch line, the "half-hour scientific research circle" and "one-hour industrial circle" are about to emerge. This port is a concrete action taken by Hong Kong’s first five-year plan to align with the country’s “15th Five-Year Plan”.
The opening of the New Huanggang Port is a new starting point for the in-depth cooperation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. It is a vivid practice for Hong Kong and Macao to actively integrate into and serve the overall development of the country. Taking the opening of the port as an opportunity, Shenzhen and Hong Kong will continue to work intensively on the connection of rules and mechanisms, promote "hard connectivity", "soft connectivity" and "heart connectivity", and make new and greater contributions to deepening the construction of the Greater Bay Area and enriching the practice of "one country, two systems".
