At a recent year-end briefing, Ambrose Lee, director of the Hong Kong Immigration Department, said the border checkpoints at Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau experienced a substantial growth in passenger traffic last year with average traffic volume at Lo Wu reaching 233,000 on normal weekdays. Lok Ma Chau saw a growth in passenger volume of 14.6 per cent with an annual throughput of 12.6 million people.

In light of the heavy traffic across the border, the Hong Kong government is now considering implementing 24-hour operation at border points.

The trend of Hong Kong people travelling northward has only just begun. And many more are expected to look for business and job opportunities afforded by China's gradual opening of its markets in the wake of its accession to the World Trade Organization.

Recently, a human resources firm that organized a two-day recruitment campaign for 73 Chinese mainland enterprises recorded a total of 5,943 job application letters from Hong Kong people, with more than 1,100 of them seeking jobs involving information technology.

(Xinhua News Agency February 17, 2002)