It’s the first time the mainland’s border checkpoints have introduced the technology large-scale.
Facial recognition technology is being used to speed up the processing time at Shenzhen Bay and Lo Wu, two checkpoints that handle the traffic travelling between Hong Kong and mainland China.
It’s the first time the mainland’s border checkpoints have introduced the technology large-scale.
“Passengers shuttling between Shenzhen and Hong Kong can now just walk through the gates after their travel documents have been verified, as the new facial recognition system will automatically capture their faces,” said a message posted by the General Administration of Customs on Weibo.
Crucially it will also help customs officials identify parallel traders, who buy goods tax-free in Hong Kong to resell in mainland China. A database of travel information, as well as faces, will alert officials if anything seems suspicious.
The border between Hong Kong and mainland China sees 640,000 travellers crossing over daily, according to authorities.