Sha Tau Kok

Sha Tau Kok
Aerial view of Sha Tau Kok (Sep 2020)
Chinese name	沙頭角
Geographical information
Administrative district(s)	North District
Location	Northeast New Territories
Transport information
Major transport terminus(i)	Sha Tau Kok Bus Terminus
Major road(s)	Sha Tau Kok Road - Shek Chung Au, Sha Ho Road

Sha Tau Kok (沙頭角) is located on the border between North District in Hong Kong and Yantian District in Shenzhen, straddling the border between Hong Kong and Mainland China , and is one of the Frontier Closed Areas of Hong Kong.

History

During the Qing Dynasty, there was already a bustling market in Sha Tau Kok called Tung Wo Hui (東和墟). Later, in 1898, Britain leased the New Territories from the Manchu Qing government for 99 years, with the Shenzhen River and the Sha Tau Kok River as the boundary. The area south of the Sha Tau Kok River was leased by the British and this also caused inconvenience to the residents who travelled to and from Tung Wo Hui. Sha Tau Kok was thus divided into two, separated and connected by Chung Ying Street. The narrower channel of the Sha Tau Kok River made it easier to get in and out, making it a major route between Hong Kong and mainland China in the early 20th century.

In 1951, the British Hong Kong Government established the Frontier Closed Area (FCA), which extended from Sha Tau Kok to San Tin and Mai Po in Yuen Long, including the villages north of the Sha Tau Kok Clinic, Sha Tau Kok Estate and Sha Tau Kok Hoi. The residents of the area were required to present a Closed Area Permit to enter and leave the area, and friends and relatives visiting the area were also required to obtain a guarantee from a Sha Tau Kok resident before they could enter the area. As one of the border areas between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, Sha Tau Kok was once regarded as the frontline of the confrontation between the two ideological camps during the Cold War, and was known as the "Berlin Wall of the East"; during the 1967 Riots, a gun battle broke out between the Hong Kong Police and the Chinese Communist militia in Chung Ying Street, which required the intervention of the British army in Hong Kong and even the full lockdown of the FCA.

In 1988, the Government expanded the Sha Tau Kok Control Point and the Hong Kong Housing Society built the Sha Tau Kok Chuen (沙頭角邨) to rehouse residents of the "Yim Liu Ha Squatter Area", i.e. the Sea Squatters on the Sha Tau Kok Hoi. In accordance with the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines and the needs of the Sha Tau Kok area, sufficient land has been reserved in the Sha Tau Kok - Development Plan for community facilities, and a community hall, library and market are now available in Sha Tau Kok Town.

Partial Opening of Sha Tau Kok Closed Area

On 15 February 2012, the Hong Kong Government relaxed the FCA restrictions in some parts of Sha Tau Kok, including Nga Yiu Tau and Tam Shui Hang, covering about 740 hectares. After careful consideration of the security needs of the boundary, the Government decided to retain the Sha Tau Kok Town within the FCA. This is because there is no physical barrier separating Sha Tau Kok Town from the Mainland, and Chung Ying Street within Sha Tau Kok Town is the only place in Hong Kong that does not have border control facilities but allows cross-boundary movement of people and goods. Therefore, from the perspective of border security, it is necessary to continue to implement the FCA in Sha Tau Kok Town.

In the 2021 Policy Address, the Government proposed to gradually open up the Sha Tau Kok Town in the Northern Metro Area Development Strategy to boost tourism. Sha Tau Kok Town will be opened to tour groups in June 2022 and to individual tourists in January 2024. However, due to security concerns, Chung Ying Street was not included in the opening. Nevertheless, the Government is still studying the opening of Chung Ying Street to Hong Kong tourists, which is expected to take place in the fourth quarter of 2024.

At present, Sha Tau Kok is still a small town inaccessible to ordinary people, and people entering the Sha Tau Kok Closed Area are required to apply for a Frontier Closed Area Permit, and people entering Chung Ying Street are even required to apply for a Frontier Closed Area Permit (FCA) which specifies that access to and exit from Chung Ying Street is permitted. Most of the residents in the area live in Sha Tau Kok Town, i.e. Sha Tau Kok Estate, Sha Tau Kok Bus Terminus, Tsoi Yuen Kok, Kong Ha, Yuen Tun Shan, Yim Liu Ha and Sha Tau Kok Hoi, all of which are situated within the FCA. However, compared with the past, the requirements have been relaxed. Those entering the Sha Tau Kok Closed Area are only required to apply for a Closed Area Permit for Tourism or Closed Area Permit for Frontier Closed Area to enter the area. However, persons entering Chung Ying Street are required to apply for a special FCA Permit stating that they are allowed to enter and leave Chung Ying Street.

Sha Tau Kok Public Pier

Situated within the Frontier Closed Area, the Sha Tau Kok Public Pier is also an important part of the town. In 2006, the Civil Engineering and Development Department completed the reconstruction of the Sha Tau Kok Public Pier, including the construction of a 280-metre covered footbridge, two additional berths and a viewing platform for residents to travel by Kaito between Ap Chau and Kat O (Crooked Island), the two outer islands in the northeast New Territories.

Under the current policy, travellers are not eligible to apply for Closed Area Permits; in other words, non-holders of Closed Area Permits cannot travel between the above areas on the Sha Tau Kok Kaito. In view of this, the new Kaito ferry service between Ma Liu Shui and Crooked Island was inaugurated on 2 September 2018, departing from Ma Liu Shui at 8:30am on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays and arriving at Kat O via Chek Mun Channel, Wong Chuk Kok Tsui, Hung Shek Mun and Yan Chau Tong, with a journey time of about 90 minutes.

Lai Chi Wo, a small triangle with Ap Chau and Crooked Island near the Sha Tau Kok Closed Area, is rich in ecological resources and has not only been included in the UNESCO World Geopark list, but was also selected as one of the "Top 10 Best Tourist Attractions in Asia" by Lonely Planet in 2016. It takes about 90 minutes to get there. As for the Yan Chau Tong Marine Park, it is not part of the Frontier Closed Area and can be accessed by hiring a boat or by hiking via the Wu Kau Tang hiking trail to Lai Chi Wo and neighbouring attractions.

Street/Road Structure

The main external road in Sha Tau Kok is the Sha Tau Kok Road and the area to the east of Tam Shui Hang is within the Frontier Closed Area.

The Sha Tau Kok Terminus is located at the junction of Sha Tau Kok Road and Shun Lung Street, which is within the FCA.

Chung Ying Street is connected to Sha Tau Kok in the Yantian District of Shenzhen and access is restricted to holders of the Frontier Closed Area Permits applicable to Chung Ying Street. Other cross-boundary passengers must pass through the Sha Tau Kok Control Point and the Shatoujiao Port of Entry in Yantian District, Shenzhen.

The KCRC Sha Tau Kok Branch Line was in operation from the 1910s to the 1920s. It was discontinued in 1928 due to the decline in patronage following the opening of the Sha Tau Kok Road in 1924.

Bus and Minibus Terminus

List of bus and minibus terminus within Sha Tau Kok
Article Name	Location	Type	Remarks
Sha Tau Kok Bus Terminus	Junction between Sha Tau Kok Road and Shun Lung Street	Franchised Bus and Minibus Terminus	Within Frontier Closed Area
Sha Tau Kok Control Point	Within Sha Tau Kok Border Access	Boundary Control Point	links to Shatoujiao Port of Entry, within Frontier Closed Area

Note: Non-border crossers or persons without a Frontier Closed Area Permit must alight at Tam Shui Hang.

Gallery

Aerial view of Sha Tau Kok (Sep 2020)

Aerial view of Sha Tau Kok Closed Area (Sep 2020)

Sha Tau Kok Road - Shek Chung Au is the major road within the area (Mar 2018)

Sha Tau Kok Road - Shek Chung Au is the major road within the area (Mar 2018)

Sha Tau Kok Bus Terminus (Mar 2018)

Sha Tau Kok Checkpoint opened in 2012 (Jan 2014)

Chung Ying Street Checkpoint, those without Frontier Closed Area Permits for Chung Ying Street cannot enter (Mar 2018)

Sha Tau Kok Control Point (Jan 2012)

Related Articles

• Sha Tau Kok Bus Terminus
• Ta Kwu Ling
• Lok Ma Chau

External Links

• 香港地方－邊境禁區(一)沙頭角市 (Hong Kong Places - Frontier Closed Area (I) - Sha Tau Kok Town)

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