Fast crossings for National Games athletes, spectators
Officials organising November's National Games say preparations are in full swing. Photo: RTHK
Organisers of the upcoming National Games said on Tuesday that the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau have reached a consensus on how to co-host the Games in November.
The head of the Games' organising committee, Huang Mingzhong, said officials have worked out ways to coordinate in areas such as border crossings, personnel and vehicle documentation and food safety.
He said at a press conference in Guangzhou that officials of the three governments hold meetings every two months, with coordinators liaising on a daily basis.
His deputy, Zhang Zhihua, says there are some 9,000 athletes who have to travel to other parts of the Greater Bay Area to compete and that special border-crossing arrangements have been made for them as well as spectators.
"We have set up a special channel at the ports for participating delegations so they can enter and exit in groups with no delay," he said.
"For spectators, we will also open a 'green channel', such that travel documents will be processed nationwide.
"Once they have the tickets, their documents will be processed immediately."
Spectators, Zhang said, will be able to move around quickly within the "one-hour living circle" in the Greater Bay Area.
The Hong Kong official heading the SAR's National Games Coordination Office, Yeung Tak-keung, said his office is making minor improvements to the arrangements, after holding a series of test events here.
Three-time National Games gold medallist, retired cyclist Wong Kam-po, said it was an honour for Hong Kong to receive Beijing's support in co-hosting the extravaganza.
He said athletes taking part in the cross-border road race should find dealing with crosswinds challenging and hoped they could get their tactics right and achieve their best performance.
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