Coronavirus: progress on experts meeting ‘very good sign’ for Hong Kong’s eventual reopening with mainland, Carrie Lam says

Chief executive says personal attention of Vice-Premier Han Zheng, requests for information ahead of cross-border dialogue encouraging
But reopening of barbecue and camp sites, other relaxations of coronavirus rules must be weighed carefully, she says as city confirms one imported case

Coronavirus pandemic

Chris LauandElizabeth Cheung

Published: 2:23pm, 21 Sep 2021

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Gathering momentum for a meeting of Hong Kong and mainland Chinese medical experts represents a “very good sign” for the eventual reopening of quarantine-free travel across the border, the city’s leader has said.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s Tuesday update on the planned face-to-face dialogue came three days after it was endorsed by Chinese Vice-Premier Han Zheng at a meeting in Shenzhen.

The sit-down, which will include officials and medical experts from both sides of the border, was first suggested by Lam earlier this month in the hope of speeding up the restoration of travel without quarantine between Hong Kong and the mainland.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam meets Chinese Vice-Premier Han Zheng in Shenzhen last week. Photo: Xinhua

“The mere fact that Vice-Premier Han Zheng has attached his personal attention to the matter, and that we have received requests for more information to prepare for that meeting, are, in my view, very good signs,” Lam said ahead of her weekly Executive Council meeting.

It is hoped the dialogue will ultimately lead to a full resumption of cross-border travel, something for which there are still no clear guidelines or timelines, despite the city going more than a month without any local Covid-19 cases.

That streak continued on Tuesday as Hong Kong confirmed just one imported infection involving an arrival from France. Fewer than five people tested preliminary-positive.

The city’s tally of confirmed cases now stands at 12,166, with 213 related deaths.

Hong Kong’s recently launched “Come2HK” scheme has seen an average of 400 visitors come to the city from the mainland and Macau every day without having to undergo quarantine, although the arrangement is unilateral.

Hundreds slip and slide their way around Hong Kong’s new water park

Separately, when asked whether she would consider further scaling back social-distancing rules by allowing, for example, the reopening of barbecue and camp sites, Lam said the government had to tread carefully, as one infection could easily lead to outbreaks as demonstrated by cases overseas and on the mainland.

She also stressed that decisions about reopening the border would not be tied to the Beijing Winter Olympics in February.

Elsewhere, in an effort to boost the sluggish vaccination rate among the elderly, property company Sino Group’s philanthropic arm, the Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation, and developer Chinese Estates Holdings have added an additional 200 prizes to their lucky draw exclusively for those aged 70 and up. The new prizes are prepaid cards and credit cards with a value of HK$10,000 (US$1,280) each.

The sponsors have also extended a vaccination rate deadline that if met will trigger another lucky draw for a new flat. If 5 million people in the city have received at least one shot by the end of November, as opposed to September, the foundation will give away a second flat, valued at HK$12 million, at the Grand Central project in Kwun Tong. The same outfit also gave away a flat worth HK$10.8 million earlier this month.

So far, some 4.4 million people have had their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, while just over 4 million, or 59.5 per cent of the eligible population, have received their second.

Meanwhile, a government outreach team will provide Covid-19 vaccinations from Thursday through Saturday at the Shek Lei Community Hall for nearby residents, in particular the elderly, hoping to get the Sinovac shot.

Earlier this month, the government announced that more outreach activities would be organised at places such as shopping malls and housing estates in an effort to encourage older people to get vaccinated.

Additional reporting by Kathleen Magramo

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Signs ‘very good’ for cross-border travel