“The mainland experts confirmed that Hong Kong has stepped up a number of anti-epidemic measures and promoted a favorable environment for resumption of quarantine-free travel,” the statement said after the event.
At the second meeting on the mainland and Hong Kong’s anti-epidemic work in Shenzhen, the experts announced that “Hong Kong has essentially achieved the conditions for resuming quarantine-free travel”.
“The mainland experts confirmed that Hong Kong has stepped up a number of anti-epidemic measures and promoted a favorable environment for resumption of quarantine-free travel,” the statement said after the event.
The meeting was hosted by Huang Liuquan, Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council, who advised the HKSAR government on its epidemic prevention and control measures in line with the goal of zero infection and protection from importation of cases and resurgence of local infections. The Chief Secretary for Administration, John Lee, led representatives from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to attend the meeting.
How are things going on on both sides?
In order to successfully resume quarantine-free travel between mainland China and the HKSAR, the following steps are required:
- Both sides must submit reports on the appropriate anti-epidemic measures and the implementation plan to resume quarantine-free travel in accordance with the appropriate procedure.
- If necessary, another exchange of views will be held.
- Task forces are to be set up on both sides to investigate:
- The interface, transcoding and operational problems of the Hong Kong and mainland health code systems; and
- The management and cooperation as well as common prevention and control mechanisms at border checkpoints.
Priorities for HKSAR to go into effect
On the side of the HKSAR government, it is now preparing extensively for the implementation of quarantine-free travel, which includes the following tasks:
- Roll-out of the “Hong Kong Health Code”
- Work schedule at border checkpoints
- Use of manpower
- Hong Kong-mainland cooperation mechanism
- Mechanism to identify individuals at high risk.
Chief Secretary Lee has asked the Food and Health Bureau to immediately follow up on comments from mainland experts and to strengthen the management of high-risk groups.
He has also asked the Innovation and Technology Bureau to announce the Hong Kong Health Code Implementation Plan next week so that citizens can download and familiarize themselves with the mobile app as soon as possible.
The meeting, hosted by Huang, was attended by representatives from the mainland, including Deputy Director of the Central People’s Government Liaison Office in the HKSAR Yin Zonghua, experts from the National Health Commission and representatives from the General Customs Administration, the National Immigration Service, the Chinese Civil Aviation Authority, the People’s Government of Guangdong Province , the People’s Government of Shenzhen City and the People’s Government of Zhuhai City.
Representatives from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, led by Lee, included Nutrition and Health Secretary Professor Sophia Chan; the Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Alfred Sit; the Undersecretary of State for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Clement Woo; and representatives from the Department of Health, the Office of the Chief Information Officer of the Government, the Security Bureau, the Transportation and Housing Bureau, and other related offices and departments.
Image / 123RF
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