Radical change in Chinese government policy. Hong Kong intends to reopen its border with China by mid-January, Chief Executive John Lee announced on Saturday after returning from a visit to Beijing. The border has been closed for almost three years, as China has endorsed a “zero Covid” strategy with some of the most draconian restrictions in the world to deal with the pandemic. But in early December, amid growing public exasperation, Beijing ended most of the strict health measures, removing onerous quarantines and travel restrictions with a huge impact on the economy.
Since then, Covid cases in China have exploded, causing hospitals and morgues to become saturated.
A four-day visit to Beijing
Despite the health situation, “the central government has decided to fully reopen the border, in a gradual and orderly fashion,” John Lee told reporters upon his arrival at the airport. Local authorities on both sides of the border will submit a proposal, for Beijing’s approval, “with the intention of implementing it before mid-January”, he added. The chief executive met Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang this week during a four-day visit to Beijing, the first since taking office in July.
Hong Kong had been allowed to implement a lighter version of China’s zero-tolerance strategy for the coronavirus, but maintained a set of restrictions and rules that most countries around the world long ago abandoned. In mid-December, the semi-autonomous territory announced an easing of health measures, with the end of the use of a mobile application to control entry to most closed places and authorization, for people arriving from abroad, to access bars and restaurants as soon as they arrive.
Currently, Hong Kong residents can enter China through a handful of border checkpoints, and are subject to mandatory quarantine. With the reopening of borders and the expected influx, Hong Kong and Beijing authorities are considering a daily quota, said John Lee. Immigration, customs and police officers have already been ordered to return to their border posts after Christmas, according to local media.