Passengers are going through customs at Gongbei Port. At midnight on Wednesday, Zhuhai's Gongbei Port in South China's Guangdong Province officially operated its pilot "card-free" channel, as one of the first ports in China to adopt this customs system. Photo: Screenshot from the CCTV News

At midnight on Wednesday, Zhuhai's Gongbei Port in South China's Guangdong Province launched a pilot "card-free" customs channel, making it one of China's first ports to adopt the new system, according to CCTV News.

Expert have described this as a significant breakthrough in customs clearance, streamlining travel procedures and boosting exchanges for residents living in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

The "card-free" channels currently operational include 20 lanes each for entry and exit, with plans to expand the number of lanes and broaden their applications, local news portal Southcn.com reported.

The new initiative is primarily targeted at frequent travelers who regularly commute or travel across Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao.

The initiative applies to residents of the Chinese mainland aged 14 or older who hold valid travel permits to Hong Kong and Macao and possess multiple-entry endorsements for purposes including stays, family visits, business, and talent programs, according to a document released by China's National Immigration Administration (NIA).

The policy also applies to Hong Kong and Macao residents, including non-Chinese nationals, who hold valid travel documents for entry to the Chinese mainland and agree to biometric data collection, including facial recognition and fingerprint scanning.

"This pioneering customs policy is a major step for GBA integration, enhancing regional economic development and improving daily convenience for residents," Zhang Lingyun, executive editor-in-chief of Tourism Tribune, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

The approach streamlines verification and enhances the work flow, delivering more efficient customs clearance, while improving the travel experience for visitors and maintaining essential security measures, Zhang said.

He noted that the initiative is particularly significant for frequent cross-border activities, such as employment and business collaborations, highlighting the growing integration between the mainland, Hong Kong, and Macao.

Last year, Gongbei Port processed over 100 million passenger trips, according to data provided by the Gongbei border inspection station under China's Zhuhai General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection.

The total number of passenger crossings handled by Gongbei Port this year surpassed 50 million as of June 18, reaching the milestone nearly a month earlier than last year.

Global Times