Driving northward to Guangdong trends among Hong Kong, Macao residents

Vehicles pass the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. (Xinhua/Huang Guobao)

Driving northward to Guangdong has become a popular trend among Hong Kong and Macao residents.

Since the implementation of the "Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles" and the "Northbound Travel for Macao Vehicles" policies on January 1 and July 1, respectively, Gongbei Customs in south China's Guangdong Province has recorded 1 million entry and exit trips made by single-plate vehicles from Hong Kong and Macao as of Nov. 1.

Chen Bin, a resident of Hong Kong, said that he frequently drives to Guangdong on weekends. Chen and his family have been exploring various cities in Guangdong since the implementation of the "Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles" policy.

They recently visited their ancestral home in Zhongshan city of Guangdong and made a trip to Jiangmen city to see the famous Kaiping Diaolou, which are multi-storied defensive village houses.

Liu Yi , a resident of Macao, sees the "Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles" and "Northbound Travel for Macao Vehicles" policies as an additional option for Hong Kong and Macao residents to experience a dual-city life.

He said driving on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is a remarkable journey in itself. The bridge, resembling a dragon winding across the sea, offers breathtaking views accompanied by the enchanting hues of the sunset, creating a romantic and awe-inspiring scene.

Hong Kong and Macao residents who opt for northbound travel are not restricted to the Pearl River Delta region. They often explore the western and northern parts of Guangdong as well.

At the Gulong Gorge scenic area in Qingyuan, northern Guangdong, staff members have noticed an increase in the number of vehicles with Hong Kong and Macao license plates visiting the area in recent months.

The "Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles" and the "Northbound Travel for Macao Vehicles" policies are important innovative measures to promote transportation connectivity in the Greater Bay Area, and better integrate Hong Kong and Macao into the national development.

An official of the border checkpoint at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge said since October, 182,000 trips have been made by single-plate vehicles from Hong Kong and Macao under the policies, with a 21 percent increase compared to the previous period.

During weekends and holidays, an average of 6,900 single-plate vehicles pass through daily. The highest daily records for Hong Kong and Macao single-plate vehicles passing through the checkpoint were 4,200 and 4,900, respectively.

Since the opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the implementation of various policies has led to improved traffic flow and thriving passenger volume, highlighting the strengthened connectivity within the Greater Bay Area.

Statistics show that in the five years since its opening, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has accommodated a total of 36 million passenger trips, 7.5 million vehicle trips, and the total import and export value through the bridge's port has reached 718.75 billion yuan ($98.77 billion).