The State Council has authorised the official transfer of the Macau Border Checkpoint Administrative Zone of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge to the Macau government in a ceremony held at midnight, the Macau Government Spokesperson Office (GPV) said in an early morning statement today.

According to the statement, the handover ceremony was held at the Macau border checkpoint building on the Zhuhai-Macau artificial island.

The statement said that the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Border Defence Corps 5th Detachment and the Macau Customs Service each sent 30 of their officers to the ceremony, where a model of the man-made island of the bridge across the Pearl River Delta was presented to Macau representatives as a present from the mainland side.

After the ceremony, officers from the Macau Customs Service, Public Security Police Force (PSP), Fire Services Bureau (CB), Judiciary Police (PJ), Health Bureau (SSM) and Transport Bureau (DSAT) took over their duties at the checkpoint building, the statement said, where they will carry out tests in preparation for the opening of the bridge.

The statement did not say when the bridge will open.

The statement said that the 55-kilometre- long bridge connecting the three major cities in the Pearl River Delta, would facilitate land transport of passengers and goods among the three urban centres.

Officers of the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Border Defence Corps (left) and Macau Custom Services take part in the March 15 midnight transfer ceremony at Macau Border Checkpoint Administrative Zone of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. Photo: GCS

PLEASE READ THE FULL ARTICLE IN OUR PRINT EDITION.