New Futian station on XRL raises border control concerns

The Futian high-speed railway station in southern China's Shenzhen city recently started operations in December, 2015. One of the seven stops on the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL), the newly-constructed station is reportedly the largest underground railway station in Asia, covering a total area of 147,000 square meters.

The Futian station is expected to significantly shorten commute times between the said areas. By virtue of the station's close proximity to Hong Kong's borders, commuters can now easily switch from the local mass transit railway (MTR) to the high speed rail to reach Guangzhou and Shenzhen and vice versa even though the Hong Kong section of the line is still under construction.

Based on a report released by the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (LegCo), the high speed rail network is expected to also lead to “closer co-operation between Hong Kong and Mainland cities in the development of various sectors, such as tourism, retail, and professional services.”

As the numbers of people moving to and from Hong Kong is set to increase in the near future, it would be important for the government to focus their efforts in strengthening security along its borders. Technologies such as video surveillance and biometrics can enable authorities to secure and control access at these checkpoints; thus, enhancing national safety.