Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raimundo do Rosário said yesterday that the local government now expects the Qingmao border checkpoint project to be completed next month.

Rosário made the remarks while speaking to reporters after attending a closed-door committee meeting in the Legislative Assembly (AL).

The Qingmao checkpoint in Ilha Verde will be a land border crossing for pedestrians only, the first of its kind in Macau.

The Qingmao checkpoint was initially slated to be completed this month.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Rosário admitted that the project is lagging behind schedule “for a short time”, but he was quick to add that the project will now be “almost completed” next month.

“The project has entered the very last part,” Rosário said, adding this meant that the government’s final inspection will be carried out soon. He reaffirmed that the government now expects the project to be completed next month.

A joint Macau-mainland immigration and customs clearance system officially known as “joint inspection and one-time release” will be adopted at the future Qingmao checkpoint – a 24/7 operation – where travellers will be required to pass border controls only once when completing their departure and arrival formalities.

Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak said early this year he expected the checkpoint to open in the second half of this year.

Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raimundo do Rosário speaks to reporters in the Legislative Assembly (AL) yesterday. Courtesy: TDM

This undated handout photo taken from the website of the Infrastructure Development Office (GDI) yesterday shows the almost completed Qingmao border checkpoint in Ilha Verde.