Two-can formula milk restriction won't be scrapped, says Hong Kong health chief despite politician's call
Hong Kong’s health chief reaffirmed that there was no plan to cancel a restriction on the number of milk formula cans that people can bring out of the city, citing persistent supply shortages in some areas.
Food and Health Secretary Dr Ko Wing-man said today that more research was needed to gauge the shortage of popular brands in certain districts, with the latest study not expected to produce results until the end of the year.
“We think it is not yet the appropriate time to cancel the export limit on milk formula,” Ko said, speaking at the Streetathon charity run event in Central.
The minister was responding to comments by Liberal Party leader Vincent Fang Kang who on Saturday urged Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying to lift the two-can limit and “apologise” to mainland visitors for local protests against mainland shoppers – which he said had led to a drop in tourism and local retail sales.
WATCH: Scuffles and pepper spray as Hongkongers launch protest against mainland traders in March
“There are still a few districts where supply is occasionally in short [supply], particularly in the North District,” he said, referring to the northernmost district of Hong Kong, at the border with the mainland Chinese city of Shenzhen.
Ko said the latest round of research would be completed around the end of the year and would serve as reference material for the government during the peak season for demand, just before the Lunar New Year.
Fang of the Liberal Party had blamed the infant formula restriction for triggering animosity against mainland Chinese travellers and traders. “When did the conflicts start to intensify? It was when the restriction on milk powder was introduced. Then a minority of people started to behave impolitely.”
Meanwhile, Tourism Board chairman Peter Lam Kin-ngok expressed concern over the recent protests, claiming that it only added “more pain” to the retail industry, now reeling from a drop in tourist numbers and a stronger US dollar – to which the Hong Kong currency is pegged.
“Many mainland tourists are now asking whether coming to Hong Kong is still safe,” said Lam, who also attended the charity run. “Hong Kong is a very free place,” he said, adding that a tourist-friendly reputation was important for the city.
Figures released by the board last week showed 4.92 million people visited the city in July, a decline of 8.4 per cent year on year. Among mainland visitors – by far the biggest group – the year on year fall was 9.8 per cent, down to 3.85 million.
