Гонконг шекаралық аймағы

the border zone in Hong Kong

The Frontier Closed Area , established by the Frontier Closed Area Order, 1951, and 1984 is a regulated border zone in Hong Kong that extended inwards from the border with Mainland China. Established to prevent illegal migrants and other illegal activities from Mainland China and elsewhere by land and sea, the closed area is fenced along its perimeter to serve as a buffer between the closed border and the rest of the territory patrolled and controlled by Hong Kong Police Force and its Marine Region and the Immigration Department at land and sea. Developments are tightly controlled within the area, leading to less construction and causing most of the area to become a natural habitat for animals and plants. For anyone to enter the area, a Closed Area Permit is required from the Hong Kong Police Force, unless crossing the land boundary through the Frontier Closed Area with a valid travel document by land and/or sea.

The area was established under the Frontier Closed Area Order in June 1951 by Hong Kong Governor Alexander Grantham. In order to fight gun smuggling during the Korean War, a curfew was put in place in the closed area in 1952. Villagers had to stay inside from midnight to 4:00 am unless they acquired a special permit from the police. Following the war, the curfew was retained to help control illegal immigration. The boundaries of the Frontier Closed Area were adjusted under the Frontier Closed Area Order, 1959, gazetted on 20 February 1959. By 1962, thousands of undocumented migrants were attempting to enter Hong Kong each day. In response, a second, more robust fence, made of Dannert wire, was built slightly south of the original fence in May 1962. The frontier area was further adjusted with the Frontier Closed Area Order 1984, gazetted on 7 September 1984. The amendments reflected the relocation of the Man Kam To Control Point, and also completely excluded Lei Uk Village from the closed area. Border patrol duties were transferred from the British Army to the Field Patrol Detachment in October 1992. The nighttime curfew in the Frontier Closed Area was discontinued from 1 August 1994. Secretary for Security Alistair Asprey stated this was to "balance individual rights and the need to combat illegal immigration". A checkpoint on the original perimeter, at Shek Chung Au, was decommissioned and its functions taken over by a new checkpoint outside of Sha Tau Kok.

Environmentalists and the WWF have pointed out that the proposal will have negative impacts on the ecology of the excluded areas.

A Closed Area Permit is a document issued by the Hong Kong Police Force to allow for people with ties or residence in the area to travel in and out of the Frontier Closed Area. Visitors to the Mai Po Marshes are also required to apply for a Mai Po Marshes Entry Permit from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.

Border Road is a road along the south bank of Sham Chun River, and the northernmost road in Hong Kong. Since January 2016, it is amongst the only remaining places within the Frontier Closed Area (along with an area around and within parts of Sha Tau Kok). Currently it is used for patrolling purposes only and public entry is forbidden. It starts from Mai Po Nature Reserve in Yuen Long and ends along Lin Ma Hang Road.