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THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 1985
DOUBLE-DECKER BORDER CROSSING OPENED
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A NEW DOUBLE-DECKER FOOTBRIDGE FOR CROSS-BORDER PASSENGERS, THE FIRST OF ITS KIND, WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED AT LO WU TODAY (THURSDAY).
THE OPENING CEREMONY WAS JOINTLY PERFORMED BY THE POLITICAL ADVISER OF HONG KONG, MR JOHN BOYD, AND THE DEPUTY MAYOR OF SHENZHEN, MR ZHEN XIPEI.
PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE PROGRESS MADE ON IMPROVING CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION FACILITIES ON THE CHINESE SIDE OF THE BORDER, MR BOYD SAID THE OPENING OF THE NEW BRIDGE +WILL ENABLE US TO PRESS AHEAD WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR OWN STATION FACILITIES.+
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+THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO COMPLETING THIS REDEVELOPMENT AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE. AND ACCORDING TO OUR CURRENT TIMETABLE WE HOPE TO REACH OUR GOAL BY SPRING FESTIVAL 1987.+
CONTRASTING THE ANNUAL RATE OF CROSSINGS OF 1.9 MILLION AT LO WU TEN YEARS AGO WITH THE ALMOST 13 MILLION WHO CROSSED LAST YEAR, MR BOYD SAID THE FIGURES AMPLY JUSTIFIED THE EFFORTS TO IMPROVE FACILITIES.
HE SAID THE INCREASED CONTACTS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE SOUTHERN PROVINCES OF CHINA, ESPECIALLY AMONG BUSINESSMEN, CONTRIBUTED BOTH TO THE PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG AND TO CHINA'S MODERNISATION PROGRAMME.
+ I CONFIDENTLY PREDICT THAT WE SHALL SEE CONTINUED EXPANSION OF SUCH VISITS,+ SAID MR BOYD.
THE FOOTBRIDGE, WHICH EVENTUALLY WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE A FLOW OF 8 000 PASSENGERS AN HOUR IN EACH DIRECTION, IS A JOINT PROJECT BETWEEN THE HONG KONG AND SHENZHEN AUTHORITIES. INITIALLY ONLY ONE DECK OF THE BRIDGE WILL BE USED BY THE PUBLIC FROM TOMORROW (FRIDAY).
THE BRIDGE IS PART OF THE REDEVELOPMENT OF CROSS-BORDER FACILITIES BY BOTH SIDES, AND AFTER THE BRIDGE-OPENING CEREMONY GUESTS CROSSED TO THE CHINESE SIDE FOR THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE 10-STOREY ADMINISTRATION BLOCK BUILT BY THE SHENZHEN AUTHORITIES.
THE NEW BRIDGE IS LOCATED 70 METRES EAST OF THE EXISTING ONE-STOREY FOOTBRIDGE WHICH HAS BEEN THE ROUTE IN AND OUT OF CHINA FOR MILLIONS OF PASSENGERS OVER THE YEARS.
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HONG KONG HAS SPENT $7 ILLION AS ITS SHARE OF CONSTRUCT ING THE 61-METRE BRIDGE WHICH HAS FOUR SPANS OF 15, 20, 20 AND SIX METRES. HONG KONG HAS EN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE 15 AND 20 METRE SPANS ON ITS SIDE OF THE LORDER.
THE SHENZHEN