John Lee off to promising start in talks with mainland officials on Hong Kong border
- Welcome agreement on ‘reverse quarantine’ with Hong Kong leader will hopefully open the way to greater cooperation on wider issues
The need for Hong Kong to strengthen cooperation with the mainland has never been greater. From fighting the pandemic and reopening the border to enhancing ties and development opportunities within the Greater Bay Area, the responsibilities fall squarely on the new government.
It is good to hear that Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s first high-level meeting with his mainland counterparts has made a promising start. But with the daily infections hitting a recent high of 10,586 on Thursday, nothing can be taken for granted.
An agreement on the so-called reverse quarantine, under which northbound travellers undergo isolation in a managed closed-loop system before crossing the border, is a positive response to people’s travel needs.
But it risks falling short of the expectations of some, as quarantine-free visits to the mainland still appear unlikely any time soon. Details regarding quotas, times, testing standards and management of facilities have yet to be worked out.
Given those who complete the process will be deemed to have fulfilled the mainland requirement of seven days’ hotel isolation plus three of medical surveillance, the arrangements will understandably be relatively stringent. Both sides should work closely to flesh out the details to allow the system to begin as soon as possible.