Hong Kong is to allow Chinese police and immigration officers to enforce the law at a new high-speed rail station in the heart of the city, in what critics said was the latest encroachment on the territory’s autonomy and legal independence.
The government revealed the plans on Tuesday, ahead of the expected launch of an $11bn rail link next year that will plug Hong Kong directly into China’s high-speed rail network, the world’s biggest.
The government said it was necessary to host Chinese customs and immigration officials at the West Kowloon terminus to ensure a smooth flow of passengers from Hong Kong, which has a separate immigration system, into the rest of China.