Opinion | Hong Kong’s pandemic Catch-22: how to reopen international and mainland borders

Hong Kong is an international city, yet highly dependent on the flow of goods and people from the mainland

We face a huge challenge: how to open up to international travel while maintaining zero infections so our border with the mainland can reopen

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A woman wheels a suitcase at Hong Kong International Airport on June 30. If we don’t open our borders together with everyone else, Hong Kong risks getting left behind socially and economically. Photo Felix Wong

Published: 6:45am, 2 Jul 2021Updated: 6:45am, 2 Jul 2021

To open or not to open borders? This is the conundrum facing policymakers around the world. What is the right equilibrium point at which to balance economic and public health? At some point, all countries have to open their borders to survive economically.

At one end of the spectrum are the United States and the European Union, which have opened their borders to travellers and lifted most coronavirus restrictions. With the expectation of a boom in the economy from pent-up demand, the airline, hospitality, food and drink, and retail industries are itching to rebuild and re-emerge from the pandemic.

At the other end of the spectrum are mainland China, Hong Kong and Australia, which have taken a zero-tolerance approach to Covid-19. This has meant our borders have largely been closed to non-residents and we have enforced long quarantines and strict measures.

Globally, experts agree that vaccination is the best defence against the virus, providing a pathway for countries to open up while protecting populations against imported cases. Canada has adopted this strategy.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has declared that Canada’s borders will remain largely shut to the US and the rest of the world until 75 per cent of Canadians receive their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. So far, 68 per cent of Canadians have done so.

China too is racing to vaccinate 70 per cent of its entire population before the end of the year to achieve herd immunity. China has already vaccinated 43 per cent of its population and administered over 1 billion doses. With the Winter Olympics coming up in February 2022, and herd immunity within reach, China is looking to reopen its borders.