Sha Tau Kok - Border

Border

Sha Tau Kok is one of the four official border crossings between Hong Kong and mainland China, the other three being Man Kam To, Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau.

Chung Ying Street lies on the border between mainland China and Hong Kong. There is a perception that it is a notorious point for goods trafficking. When the checkpoint opens a flow of mainlanders enters Chung Ying Street with their visiting permits. Some may make several trips a day acquiring goods and abusing the custom tariff limits on goods. These traffickers then unload their burden to collect their pay inside mainland Shatoujiao. Although there are a lot of goods leaving Hong Kong from Sha Tau Kok via Chung Ying Street there is also an inflow of foodstuffs and other commodities that come through from China into Hong Kong throughout the day, and only limited by the closure of the Chinese custom post.

An influx of mainland China workers flow into Chung Ying Street from 7am when the custom post is opened. Residents from the Chung Ying Street area are free to pass in and out of the Chinese border post, because they have residency passes. Other non-residents must be issued with permits to enter from the Chinese authorities. Tourists are also found visiting Chung Ying Street to buy Western products from Hong Kong first hand, and prices may be higher than within China, but equivalent products found within China are suspected by mainland China residents as not being wholly genuine.

It is now possible to travel conveniently into mainland China's Shatoujiao via the Sha Tau Kok border crossing. Coaches run a regular schedule from Luen Wo Hui (a small town near Fanling, in the New Territories) Bus Terminus, situated near the recently opened Luen Wo Market and Library complex, and from Fanling MTR Station also. Tickets (as of 2005) cost HK$20 for each passenger. The coaches also provide space for luggage. Travellers are taken through the Shek Chung Au (石涌凹) border check point without permit search, and are driven directly to the Sha Tau Kok Immigration checkpoint.

Here, passengers alight, go through customs, and have their documents processed, before reboarding the coach to be driven to the mainland border immigration checkpoint. They alight and take all their belongings through the mainland Chinese customs and again have their documents processed. Travellers from outside China are advised to obtain entry visas from the appropriate authorities, or via a travel agent before attempting the entry. Hong Kong residents of Chinese nationality should hold 'Home Return Permits' (回鄉證) for entry into China.

On the 27 January 2005, it was announced that street maps for tourists were put up around Shatoujiao, in order to aid tourists' navigation. In fact, the Chinese government has strived to promote Sha Tau Kok tourism. A museum situated near the harbour in Chung Ying Street was built to celebrate the transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong. It has on display, a history of Sha Tau Kok and its place in the incorporation of territory into British Hong Kong at the end of the 19th century. A bronze Peace Bell was installed nearby.