With flowers in his hands, Chan Yik, a student from Jinan University, finally saw his girlfriend waiting for him in Hong Kong after he passed through Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint on Tuesday, Valentine’s Day.
Chan and his girlfriend both are Hong Kong students at Jinan University. Last year, Chan did an internship project in Shenzhen while his girlfriend returned to Hong Kong to be reunited with her family. Since then, they had a long-distance relationship.
The reopening of checkpoints between Shenzhen and Hong Kong starting Feb. 6 has finally enabled couples and lovers living separately in Hong Kong and Shenzhen to meet at will.
“When I read the news that the customs would soon reopen, I jumped with joy and called my girlfriend immediately,” Chan said. Chan returned to Hong Kong and met his girlfriend that weekend. They went to the beach and listened to a concert together.
According to Chan, it takes about 30 minutes to arrive in Hong Kong through Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint. “The whole process is very smooth. Many people were seen passing through the checkpoint including tourists,” he said.
Chan told his girlfriend that “from now on, we will be able to be around each other if we want to.”
After 13 months, Dong Ji finally returned to Hong Kong to see his wife. Dong’s wife is a primary school teacher in Hong Kong, but he has been working in Shenzhen after graduation.
Before the pandemic, the couple spent their holidays and weekends together. Transportation was convenient so it was easy for them to get together. However, the pandemic suddenly added difficulties to their reunion.
In 2020 and 2021, Dong and his wife only met twice after undergoing 14-day quarantines. The other times, they only talked by phone or video calls.
At present, Dong finally can go to Hong Kong every week. On Valentine’s Day, he bought his wife a bunch of flowers and spent the night with her.