Top Hong Kong delegate barred from travelling to Beijing, underscoring zero-tolerance for local Covid-19 cases
- Tam Yiu-chung says he was told not to attend a meeting in the capital after the discovery of an untraceable Covid-19 case in Hong Kong
- Three other delegates from the city were also not allowed to attend, he added
Hong Kong’s sole delegate to China’s top legislative body has been barred from attending a meeting in the capital next week by mainland Chinese health authorities citing the risk of infection posed by a single, untraceable case of Covid-19 found recently in the city.
Unable to travel to Beijing, National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee member Tam Yiu-chung on Saturday said he was “not too optimistic” that the border would open any time soon.
The restriction underscores the strict, zero-infection protocol followed by the mainland side as Hong Kong – unsuccessfully so far – seeks a full reopening of the border to restore travel and trade links that are vital to the city’s economic growth.
Tam, who was originally expected to leave the city on Monday for the session in Beijing from Tuesday to Saturday, said he was told on Friday morning he would not be allowed to attend.
He said three other NPC delegates from the city – Choy So-yuk, Nicholas Chan Hiu-fung and Wong Kwan-yu – were also not allowed to attend.