Around the corner

The protracted extension of the Northbound Travel Scheme to Hengqin is set to come into fruition soon

Macau Business magazine l January 2026 | Special Report | Northbound Fever

At the end of 2024, the Guangdong–Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin announced that it was studying the feasibility of allowing, on an experimental basis, Hengqin single-plate vehicles belonging to residents of Macau New Neighbourhood to circulate in Guangdong Province.

This would be a first step towards correcting what many in Hengqin regard as an injustice: the NTS has excluded Hengqin residents from the outset, many of whom are former Macau residents.

The issue reached the Legislative Assembly, where several lawmakers raised the matter, recalling that Hengqin is already operating as an autonomous customs area and therefore meets the necessary conditions for Macau vehicles to enter Guangdong Province via the island.

The problem is that, until now, the authorities in Guangdong consider it advantageous to concentrate entries and exits at a single border point – the artificial island that serves the HZMB bridge – which is why Hengqin has been left behind.

“The Government should consider coordinating the regime and system between the circulation of vehicles from Macau in Guangdong Province and in Hengqin, in order to allow Macau vehicles to pass through the Hengqin Border Post to circulate in Guangdong, which could alleviate traffic pressure in Zone A of the New Reclamation Area and promote cross-border movement of people and transport between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau. Will the government do this?” asked Deputy Song Pek Kei.

Joint discussions and negotiations

In his response, the Secretary for Security made no commitment: “Since these matters involve the policy of cross-border vehicle circulation, joint discussions and negotiations and gradual promotion between the competent services of Guangdong and Macau are necessary, therefore the security authorities will cooperate proactively within the scope of their competences.”

The good news appeared to be reserved for the 2025 Policy Address, which stated that, considering the real needs of residents in the Deep Cooperation Zone to travel in their vehicles with single licence plates from Hengqin to the GBA, vehicles with single licence plates already circulating in Hengqin would also be allowed to circulate in Guangdong Province.

But as of June last year, there was still no white smoke: the government merely stated that “the respective assessment and approval procedures are underway and, at the same time, the competent services are reviewing the management methods for vehicles with single license plates, as well as promoting the creation of the second-line border crossing information system, among other complementary works, making efforts so that the policy can be implemented this year.”

Last November, Secretary for Administration and Justice Wong Sio Chak said that details about arrangements allowing Macau-registered cars travel between Hengqin and the rest of Guangdong would soon be announced; and last December, again in response to a question from a member of the Legislative Assembly, the government stated that Macau drivers with vehicles registered in Hengqin will soon be able to circulate freely throughout Guangdong Province, but that implementation will be phased. Initially, the benefit will be reserved for those who reside, work or have a business in the Hengqin Cooperation Zone, with plans for future expansion.

The capacity of the border gate

One of the problems that appears to need solving concerns the capacity of the border post. The 30 “one-stop” inspection lanes for passengers and freight vehicles became fully operational in 2024, but may not be sufficient to cope with a significant increase in demand.

Technical improvements are being developed at the Hengqin border crossing to reduce waiting times, including the implementation of automated lanes with facial recognition, the government announced in December. This measure responds to the significant increase in traffic at the location, which has grown by more than 45 per cent over the past year.

The “second line” of the Cooperation Zone has four highways for small passenger vehicles leaving Hengqin Island. At present, congestion on the “second line” roads is already occurring, mainly during peak hours and peak tourist seasons on holidays.

Two insurance policies

Currently, cross-border car insurance policies for motor vehicles from Macau and Hong Kong entering and leaving Guangdong Province via the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge border benefit from the “mutual recognition of insurance” policy, introduced in 2022, meaning vehicle owners do not need to take out separate insurance policies in both locations.

However, to date, owners of local single‑plate vehicles circulating in Hengqin are still required to subscribe to “mandatory civil liability insurance in case of road accident” applicable in the mainland, meaning that owners of these vehicles must hold insurance policies in both jurisdictions.

Residents want the “mutual recognition of insurance” policy to be extended to cover local single‑plate vehicles circulating in Hengqin, but without success – at least not yet.

The Monetary Authority of Macau (AMCM) has been analysing, since 2024, a preliminary draft of the “Administrative Method for the Entry and Exit of Motor Vehicles from Macau to the Guangdong–Macao Deep Cooperation Zone in Hengqin,” which already takes into account the extension of the “reciprocal recognition of equivalent insurance” policy to cover the Hengqin Border Port.

AMCM explains that the current mechanism under study is primarily a unilateral insurance arrangement recognised by the Chinese mainland. According to available information, the competent authorities in the mainland are currently assessing the “Unilateral Recognition” insurance arrangement for Macau motor vehicles entering and exiting the mainland via the Hengqin Port.

“To prepare for that, the AMCM has coordinated with the local insurers to include flexibility in contract terms of Guangdong–Macao cross-boundary motor vehicle insurance for future implementation of the policies,” states the Monetary Authority to Macau Business.

In the latest update, given in response to Deputy Leong Sun Lok, it was stated that Macau’s insurance companies are already preparing their contractual conditions to adapt to the new rule.

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