With the facilitation and co-ordination of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and Mainland authorities as well as the active participation of the Mass Transit Railway Corporation and the trade, the first train carrying goods from the Mainland will arrive in Hong Kong tomorrow.

The Hong Kong SAR Government's Task Force of Supplies from the Mainland has been working closely with the Guangdong and Shenzhen governments to explore various means to stabilise the supply of goods to Hong Kong.

In addition to vigorously developing water transportation and improving land transport arrangements, railway transportation is being developed at full steam to enhance transport capacity.

In particular, the Hong Kong SAR Government expressed thanks to the China State Railway Group and China Railway Guangzhou Group Company for their active support and facilitation, which have eased the smooth preparation for the launch of the first train carrying goods from the Mainland to Hong Kong.

In the past few days, the Transport & Housing Bureau, together with the MTR Corporation, the trade and government departments, including the Electrical & Mechanical Services Department, the Customs & Excise Department, the Immigration Department, the Department of Health, the Police Force, the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department, the Transport Department, the Highways Department, the Civil Engineering & Development Department and the Drainage Services Department have conducted studies and tests on using the MTR Lo Wu Marshalling Yard as a railway freight yard.

As arranged with Mainland authorities, an empty train, which was used as a trial run, arrived in Hong Kong today.The operation went smoothly.

With the launch of the cross-boundary railway cargo transportation tomorrow, the operation of goods supply from the Mainland to Hong Kong can be further strengthened. The first train will carry nine freight wagons, transporting anti-epidemic supplies.

Apart from rail cargo transport, the Hong Kong SAR Government is also working with the Guangdong and Shenzhen governments to accelerate the establishment of centralised cargo transfer points for non-fresh food items and other goods in Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong SAR Government plans to use the air cargo facilities of Hong Kong International Airport, the Kwai Chung Container Terminals and the Tuen Mun River Trade Terminal as temporary cargo transfer yards in the first phase, with the Mainland goods vehicle trial operation to test the routes already conducted today smoothly. It is expected that the temporary transfer yards concerned will start operation within this week.

Apart from that, the trial operation conducted today also covers the two temporary transfer yards to be used in the second phase. These two transfer yards are near the Lok Ma Chau crossing, with the sites concerned lent by a private developer to the Hong Kong SAR Government.

The Hong Kong SAR Government will continue to facilitate and implement various measures with the Mainland authorities to ensure a stable goods supply to Hong Kong as well as to optimise the operation of cross-boundary transportation of supplies.