HK LegCo approves XRL co-location bill

The express railway will also provide business and development opportunities for the city's young people. It will also bring convenience to local residents, he added.

Chan also suggested legislators view the high-speed rail with an open mind, adding that "time will prove everything".

LegCo President Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen earlier said that some 36 hours were allotted to co-location arrangement deliberation.

The legislature's three readings of XRL co-location bill has taken five and a half months, as the first reading of the arrangement finished on Jan 31 and the second on Wednesday.

However, completion of the second-reading of the bill did not go smoothly. Five opposition lawmakers were evicted from the chamber following inappropriate remarks and conduct; police were also called in to investigate injuries suffered by two security guards.

These five evicted legislators were not allowed to participate in the debate and vote on the bill on Thursday.

The co-location arrangement aims to speed up the immigration process and maximize the efficiency of the high-speed rail system. Under the bill just passed, one-fourth of the West Kowloon Station will be designated as a Mainland Port Area, with national laws applied.