One of Macau’s prominent engineers, Wu Chou Ki, has called for the extension of the country’s high-speed railway network into the territory. The call for connectivity with Guangzhou’s west came from the head of the Macau Institution of Engineers, also a former government-appointed lawmaker, Macao Daily News reported. Guangzhou has already kicked off environmental assessment work for a southbound line of its metro system, a 45.4-kilometre extension stretching all the way down to Gongbei in neighbouring Zhuhai city, local media reported. To bolster his viewpoint, Wu held up the West Kowloon terminus in Hong Kong as an example for Macau to follow, saying this increased connectivity could extend all the way to Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries. The multi-billion-dollar project opened in September 2018, with mainland Chinese immigration and customs officers cooperating with their Hong Kong counterparts to speed up clearance processes. “Although voices of opposition were heard initially, there has been approval among residents there,” he was quoted as saying, referring to the joint immigration arrangements. “It has considerably boosted travel convenience between Hong Kong and mainland China.” Wu believes that his proposal could further elevate Macau’s strategic role not only in the Greater Bay Area but also nationally. Macau authorities are striving to expand the city’s Light Rapid Transit network, a train system that primarily covers Taipa and gaming-heavy Cotai. It also carries passengers to or from Barra on the peninsula and Hengqin, whose future is now closely intertwined with Macau’s. However, plans are currently being made to stretch it around the periphery of the Macau peninsula. An east line between Taipa and the city’s busiest immigration checkpoint in the north is under construction. Two more lines, south and west, are being considered.
