About 4.32 million people are estimated to cross the land boundary checkpoints to and from the Chinese Mainland during the forthcoming Christmas and New Yearholiday, the Hong Kong Immigration Department said Tuesday.

It will be 8 percent higher as compared with the same period last year, the department said. It also estimated that the peak period would fall between the 13 days from December 21, 2001 to January 2, 2002.

A spokesman of the Immigration Department said the department and Shenzhen authorities would strengthen cooperation and liaison so as to ensure smooth and orderly movements across the boundary.

The department has already arranged 74 officers to reinforce the boundary checkpoints during the festive period, among which 47will be deployed to Lo Wu checkpoints and 21 will be deployed to Lok Ma Chau checkpoints, he said.

( China Daily December 19, 2001)