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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/23/hong-kong-first-high-speed-train-link-to-mainland-china-departs
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Hong Kong: first high-speed train to mainland China departs | Hong Kong: first high-speed train to mainland China departs |
| (2 months later) | |
| A new high-speed rail link between Hong Kong and mainland China has launched amid criticism the multi-billion-dollar project gives away part of the city’s territory to an increasingly assertive Beijing. | A new high-speed rail link between Hong Kong and mainland China has launched amid criticism the multi-billion-dollar project gives away part of the city’s territory to an increasingly assertive Beijing. |
| Chinese security has been stationed in semi-autonomous Hong Kong for the first time at the West Kowloon rail terminus, as part of a new “special port area” that is subject to mainland law. | Chinese security has been stationed in semi-autonomous Hong Kong for the first time at the West Kowloon rail terminus, as part of a new “special port area” that is subject to mainland law. |
| Hundreds gathered at the terminus in the early morning, with the first train leaving for the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen at 7am. | Hundreds gathered at the terminus in the early morning, with the first train leaving for the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen at 7am. |
| “I’m not worried about the [mainland security] issue. They’re only here to work. The joint checkpoints are just to make things more convenient and make border crossing clearance faster,” one 39-year-old passenger who gave his name as Mr Chan said, saying he was travelling on the first train with his son. | “I’m not worried about the [mainland security] issue. They’re only here to work. The joint checkpoints are just to make things more convenient and make border crossing clearance faster,” one 39-year-old passenger who gave his name as Mr Chan said, saying he was travelling on the first train with his son. |
| Anger at plan to let Chinese police patrol in Hong Kong | |
| Passengers cross through immigration and customs checkpoints into the mainland-controlled portion of the station, which includes the platforms and the trains, even though West Kowloon is miles from the border further north. | Passengers cross through immigration and customs checkpoints into the mainland-controlled portion of the station, which includes the platforms and the trains, even though West Kowloon is miles from the border further north. |
| Under Hong Kong’s mini-constitution – the Basic Law – China’s national laws do not apply to the city apart from in limited areas, including defence. | Under Hong Kong’s mini-constitution – the Basic Law – China’s national laws do not apply to the city apart from in limited areas, including defence. |
| Hong Kong also enjoys rights unseen on the mainland, including freedom of speech, protected by a deal made before the city was handed back to China by Britain in 1997. But there are growing fears those liberties are being eroded. | Hong Kong also enjoys rights unseen on the mainland, including freedom of speech, protected by a deal made before the city was handed back to China by Britain in 1997. But there are growing fears those liberties are being eroded. |
| Officials argue joint checkpoints will make journeys easier for passengers as they need no further clearance after crossing into the mainland. | Officials argue joint checkpoints will make journeys easier for passengers as they need no further clearance after crossing into the mainland. |
| The new bullet trains to southern China promise to be far quicker than existing cross-border rail links, and long-haul services will cut journey times to Beijing from 24 hours to nine hours. | The new bullet trains to southern China promise to be far quicker than existing cross-border rail links, and long-haul services will cut journey times to Beijing from 24 hours to nine hours. |
| “This is definitely convenient in terms of time,” said one passenger who gave his name as Mr Kwok and was taking a train to visit his ancestral home in the southern Chinese city of Chaozhou. | “This is definitely convenient in terms of time,” said one passenger who gave his name as Mr Kwok and was taking a train to visit his ancestral home in the southern Chinese city of Chaozhou. |
| But he added that tickets were expensive and the purchasing system inefficient, having queued for four hours ahead of Sunday to buy them. | But he added that tickets were expensive and the purchasing system inefficient, having queued for four hours ahead of Sunday to buy them. |
| A second-class ticket to Shenzhen costs $US11 (HK$86), while travelling to Beijing $US160. | A second-class ticket to Shenzhen costs $US11 (HK$86), while travelling to Beijing $US160. |
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| Asia Pacific | Asia Pacific |
| China | China |
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