Mainland agencies who help pregnant women from across the border to reserve maternity bed spaces in Hong Kong claim they will still be able to do so after the "zero-birth quota" comes into effect at midnight tonight, a South China Morning Post investigation has found.
The blanket ban, announced by Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying in April, aims to stop mainland women not married to Hong Kong residents from giving birth in the city.
But when a Post reporter phoned Hong Kong Baby, an agency in Guangzhou, to ask about getting a bed in a local hospital, the company said it could find ways around the ban.
"Do not worry about the ban, we still have methods to save you a bed," said a woman who only identified herself as Wong. She claimed the company could secure a bed in at least three private hospitals next month.
She quoted a price of 300,000 yuan (HK$368,000), which included helping the mother cross the border illegally.
"You have to make the booking as soon as possible, as there are only a few private hospitals left that we can arrange. We can only guarantee you a bed in some hospitals before January 15. After that, we are not sure about the situation," Wong said.