The first batch of visitors from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region cross to the Chinese mainland at Futian port in Shenzhen on Jan 8, 2023. (PARKER ZHENG / CHINA DAILY)

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and Chinese mainland authorities are discussing canceling the daily quota restrictions on cross-border travel between Hong Kong and the mainland by the end of February at the latest, lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun told China Daily on Friday afternoon.

Quarantine-free travel between Hong Kong and the mainland resumed on Jan 8, with 60,000 people per day permitted to travel from one side of the border to the other via seven control points. Until Saturday, in the build-up to Lunar New Year, the quota for those traveling via land ports has been increased to 65,000 a day, as a temporary measure.

Tien also said he expected the Lo Wu checkpoint will also be opened early in February.

Lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun  suggested that when the Lo Wu port reopens, the MTR should adjust the frequency of its service on the East Rail Line to cope with the increasing passenger flow. He noted that about 70 percent of passengers using the port are Hong Kong residents.

However, he noted that the passenger clearance building at the Lo Wu checkpoint is still under renovation, and this may affect the port’s operation. The local authorities are discussing how best to address this issue, but Tien expects that during the first stage of opening, only a few service counters at the Lo Wu checkpoint will be operational, with more counters gradually opening as renovation progresses.

Tien also suggested that when the Lo Wu port reopens, the MTR should adjust the frequency of its service on the East Rail Line to cope with the increasing passenger flow. He noted that about 70 percent of passengers using the port are Hong Kong residents.

ALSO READ: HK seeks to exempt cross-border students from travel quota

Some local media reported that the government is striving to reopen the Lok Ma Chau control point, named Huanggang port in Shenzhen, and to partly open the Lo Wu port at the same time in early February. Before the pandemic, Huanggang port was the only land border operating 24 hours a day.

In addition, the government will open Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point, named Liantang port in Shenzhen, in early February at the earliest. By then, the port's passenger clearance building will be ready for use for the first time, according to reports. The port started operations in 2020 but has so far only provided cargo services.

Currently, travelers are still required to provide a negative polymerase chain reaction COVID-19 test result taken within 48 hours of crossing the border. This has led to a surge in demand for COVID-19 tests and long queues at testing stations.

To strengthen the testing service for local residents eager to go to the mainland before the Chinese New Year, seven testing stations in Hong Kong opened at 8 am on Friday, two hours earlier than usual. The government has also increased the workforce, registration services, and sampling counters at testing centers and stations.

A government spokesperson said the capacity at the testing stations was sufficient to cope with the demand. As of 10 am on Friday, there were still about 65,000 and 87,000 testing places at all community testing centers and testing stations in Hong Kong for Friday and Saturday respectively.

REDA MORE: Cross-border land ports bustling again as restrictions lifted

On Friday, Long Win Bus Company Limited also announced it was enhancing its bus services to better serve the increasing passenger numbers to and from the Hong Kong International Airport and Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.