Shenzhen cap of weekly cross-border trips greeted with caution in Hong Kong

Shenzhen's permanent residents are now limited to one visit a week to Hong Kong in an attempt to deter parallel-goods traders, but Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying does not expect the situation to ease overnight.

New People's Party lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun also said it would take six to nine months to feel the effect of the policy change, as current holders of multiple-entry permits would still be able to travel freely while their one-year visas remained valid.

Starting from yesterday, Shenzhen residents could apply for only one-visit-per-week permits instead of the visas that were launched in 2009 to allow unlimited trips. This will slash the number of Shenzhen visitors by about 30 per cent, or 4.5 million.

Beijing's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office told Xinhua that the measure was adopted "at the request of the Hong Kong government". The office said: "It shows the central government's concern about Hong Kong people's lives."

Shenzhen residents who must visit Hong Kong frequently for family, business or other "special" reasons still qualified for multi-entry permits, Xinhua said.

New Territories residents have long complained of mainlanders "abusing" the old scheme to engage in parallel trading.

Leung also vowed to get tough on Hongkongers who engaged in such trading.