China's first self-developed driverless subway line will start operation in Hong Kong on December 28, 2016. [Photo: guancha.cn]

A number of domestically developed unmanned trains will go down a new subway line in Hong Kong on December 28, 2016.

Developed and built by CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles, the 10 three-car driverless trains will run on the South Island Line, connecting the Southern District with the existing Tsuen Wan Line and the Island Line at Admiralty.

A ceremony was held at Ocean Park station in Hong Kong on Monday to celebrate the operation of the new line.

Leung Chun-ying, chief executive of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, attends a ceremony to celebrate the operation of the new line at Ocean Park station on December 19, 2016. [Photo: guancha.cn]

Leung Chun-ying, chief executive of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said as a fan of Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway services, he is delighted to witness the operation of the new line.

The seven-km line project was launched in 2007 by the Hong Kong SAR government.

A person from China Railway Rolling Stock Corp said the South Island Line is China's first to use domestically developed and built driverless metro trains.

Three driverless subway lines have been operating in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou starting from 2008. But operators in the drivers' cabins are still required, and the trains themselves were not domestically developed.

In addition, a new fully automatic driverless metro line, the Yanfang line in southwest Beijing, is expected to start operations at the end of 2017, according to media reports.

CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles will provide the driverless trains for the new line in Beijing.