Hong Kong passes bill for Huanggang ‘co-location’ arrangement

Hong Kong’s legislature has passed a bill providing the legal basis for implementing a “co-location” arrangement at the upgraded Huanggang border crossing following a four-hour meeting, after the city’s security chief said it must be approved by July 31.The passage of the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area Bill, which was gazetted on Tuesday, marked the fastest round of legislative scrutiny since the Legislative Council’s 2021 overhaul under the “patriots administering Hong Kong” principle.“Rebuilding the Huanggang Control Port will allow [Hong Kong] to align with the country’s 15th five-year plan,” Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said during a special meeting on Friday.He added the proposed plan would slash overall customs clearance times from 30 minutes to just five minutes.Legco was initially scheduled to hold its final meeting before the summer break on Wednesday, but held additional meetings to expedite the vote on the bill, with Tang thanking the legislature for its efforts.Earlier, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, China’s top legislative body, passed a bill on June 26 to authorise the city’s jurisdiction over part of the port area.