HONG KONG – Hong Kong will start reopening its border with mainland China on Sunday, allowing tens of thousands of people to cross from both sides every day without quarantine, the city leader said.
The city’s land and sea border checkpoints to the mainland have been largely closed for nearly three years as part of China’s “zero-COVID” strategy, which has restricted entry into the country, isolated those infected and locked down areas with outbreaks. The reopening of Hong Kong’s economy is expected to provide a much-needed boost.
Thursday’s announcement came as China relaxes some of the world’s tightest antivirus controls. Starting Sunday, China will also gradually increase the number of flights between Hong Kong and the mainland and lift the limit on passenger numbers for flights out of the city, the Chinese government said in a statement.
“My personal inclination is, when factors allow, I would like to allow a large number of people to pass through, as that has been the voice of many people at home and abroad – wishing Hong Kong to move to normality as soon as possible” , Chief Executive John Lee said at a news conference.
During the first phase of the reopening, four border checkpoints that were closed for nearly three years will resume operations, bringing the number of operational checkpoints in the city to seven, Lee said. All but three checkpoints in Hong Kong are currently closed.
The Hong Kong government will decide when to expand the scope of border reopening after reviewing the situation with mainland authorities, Lee added.
Under a quota system, up to 60,000 people can travel from Hong Kong to mainland China every day. The same cap also applies to the number of travelers entering the city from the north, he said.
But Hong Kong residents in mainland China who wish to return to the city are not bound by the quota system, nor are Hong Kong residents in mainland China traveling north.
Travelers must receive a negative COVID-19 test result within 48 hours of departure. Those passing through designated land border checkpoints must register online to secure a quota spot.
Hong Kong is a semi-autonomous Chinese territory bordering Guangdong Province in southeast China. People have to go through immigration to switch between the two. The border restrictions imposed since 2020 have taken a toll on the city’s economy, especially the tourism sector.
Also starting Sunday, the mainland will no longer require travelers to quarantine, marking an important step toward fully reopening travel with the rest of the world.
Residents of mainland China are allowed to visit Hong Kong for sightseeing in a phased and orderly manner, depending on the city’s capacity and the pandemic situation, the Chinese government added.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, transcribed or redistributed without permission.
