The southern city Shenzhen?will accelerate its integration with Hong Kong with the construction of another six ports linking it with the special administrative region.

Cao Shaoye, director of Shenzhen Port Office, was quoted by Hong Kong-based newspaper Ta Kung Pao as saying that the scheme had received initial backing from the National Development and Reform Commission and concrete construction plans are under deliberation.

According to the newspaper, the six ports to be constructed are Liantang Port, Longhua Railway Port, Fujian Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Passengers Port, Dachan Gulf Harbor Port, Nan'ao Tourists Port and a port connecting the airports in Shenzhen and Hong Kong via an undersea tunnel. The ports will link Shenzhen and Hong Kong by land, sea and rail.

Meanwhile, Shenzhen will renew and expand Wenjindu Port in the wake of the work to renovate Huanggang Port.

Work at Wenjindu Port will be launched by the end of the year, with its planned capacity for customs clearance set at 3,000 vehicles and 30,000 passengers a day as compared to the present 1,100 vehicles and 9,000 passengers.

Huanggang Port, work on which started last March, is scheduled for completion in the first half of next year.

"With existing ports being expanded and new ports in service, the population flow will become seamless between Shenzhen and Hong Kong in the foreseeable future," added Li Yan, a deputy section director of Shenzhen Port Office.

According to Li, Shenzhen's long-term plan is to set up 20 ports linking it with Hong Kong. He did not disclose further information about the schedule for the construction of the additional ports.

(China Daily September 1, 2008)