Gongbei Checkpoint shipshape for Qingming crush

Of 790,000 people passing smoothly through Gongbei Checkpoint on the first two days of the Qingming Festival, 160,000 were from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. They had returned to Zhuhai to pay respect to their ancestors and deceased loved ones, visit parents and elderly relatives, or just to enjoy the days off.

Crowds, which numbered more than 1.13 million for the three-day festival -- exceeding 340,000 and counting on April 7 alone -- found the checkpoint well-prepared to process them.

In accordance with deployment requirements of the Exit & Entry Administration of the Ministry of Public Security, Gongbei border authorities had opened all inspection channels and had enough officers on hand during the travel peak. Customs clearance went efficiently and conveniently while an emergency response system was ready if needed.

Tomb-Sweeping Day, or Qingming Festival, is an important occasion for Chinese people to honor their ancestors. Many also spent the three-day holiday on leisure travel, reports China Daily.

Gongbei Checkpoint during Qingming holiday [Photo by Zhang Ziheng to Zhuhai Daily]