HZMB Celebrates 6 Years with Record Crossings 🚗🌉 - 🌍NewspaperAmigo

The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) is celebrating its sixth anniversary with a record number of passengers and vehicles crossing, marking a significant milestone in regional connectivity.

According to data from the HZMB border inspection station, by October 22, a staggering 62.3 million passengers have traversed the Zhuhai Port, accompanied by over 12.76 million vehicles clearing customs.

Spanning 55 kilometers, the HZMB is the world's longest bridge-and-tunnel sea crossing, seamlessly linking the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), Macao SAR, and the city of Zhuhai in Guangdong Province. This impressive infrastructure has become a favorite route for residents, offering convenience and 24-hour customs clearance.

This year alone, passenger flow through the bridge's ports reached 21.5 million person-times by October 22, an 84.8% increase from the previous year and nearly double the numbers from the same period in 2019. “Over the past six years, more than 35.6 million Hong Kong and Macao residents have used the bridge, with 12.9 million crossings in 2024 alone,” said Chen Faqiu, head of the HZMB border inspection station.

Driving has surged in popularity among Hong Kong and Macao residents, with the Gongbei customs at the bridge port inspecting 3.6251 million vehicles by September this year under the \"Macao vehicles northward\" and \"Hong Kong vehicles northward\" policies introduced in 2023.

The HZMB is also a key gateway for travelers heading abroad or coming to China, handling over 6,052 domestic tour groups and 234,800 tourists, along with more than 330,000 foreign passengers—a 169% year-on-year increase. Additionally, 37,000 passengers have successfully cleared customs via the \"via Zhuhai to Hong Kong flight\" model.

Cargo transport through the bridge has seen impressive growth as well, with the total value of goods imported and exported reaching 942.7 billion yuan ($132.48 billion) between 2018 and September this year, including 164.97 billion yuan in the first nine months of 2023, marking a 10.4% year-on-year increase.

The HZMB continues to serve as a vital link for news enthusiasts, professionals, students, the Asian diaspora, and travelers, embodying the spirit of connectivity and growth in the region.