Hong Kong Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee
The Come2hk Scheme is set to be launched in mid-May, a scheme proposed by the HKSAR government that allows non-Hong Kong residents in Guangdong province and Macau to enter Hong Kong quarantine-free.
The above statement was confirmed by the Secretary for Food and Health, Sophia Chan Siu-chee, at the Legislative Council on April 21 in her reply to lawmaker Chow Ho-ding’s query.
The proposed move is part of the measures designed “to gradually resume the cross-boundary flow of people amongst Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macau in an orderly manner,” Chan said.
The Come2hk Scheme was first mentioned by Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam on April 12, the day the city registered no Covid-19 cases with unknown sources for three consecutive days.
Carrie Lam stated at the time that the Come2hk Scheme would benefit non-Hong Kong residents residing in China, but did not specify which mainland cities.
Chan’s statement on April 21 clarified for the public that the program would only be applicable to foreigners in Macau and Guangdong province.
Non-Hong Kong residents can be exempted from mandatory quarantine provided that they “fulfill specified conditions under the scheme,” Chan stressed.
On November 23, the HKSAR government implemented a scheme dubbed the Return2hk Scheme. This initiative eased travel restrictions for Hong Kong residents returning to the city from Guangdong Province and Macau by welcoming them back without a compulsory quarantine.
As of April 18, Hong Kong saw over 130,000 journeys made via the scheme.
The Return2hk Scheme will be extended to returnees from all other places in China by the end of April, Chan confirmed.
The HKSAR government pledges to maintain close communication with the authorities in the mainland and Macau to explore opportunities to resume cross-boundary travel between the three locations.
However, concerns have been raised in response to the government’s ongoing plan to ease travel restrictions, as a 46-year-old female who had returned to Hong Kong from Dongguan on April 6 via the Return2hk Scheme was confirmed to have come down with coronavirus on April 20.
HKSAR, Singapore call off air travel bubble
Singapore and Hong Kong called off an announcement planned for yesterday on an air-travel bubble, according to people familiar with the matter, the second time in five months the highly anticipated arrangement for quarantine-free travel between the two financial hubs has run into obstacles. No reason was immediately provided on why the announcement – which Bloomberg had reported was expected as soon as yesterday – was postponed and a new date hasn’t been set, said the people, who asked not to be identified as they’re not authorized to speak publicly. The cancellation was initiated by the Singapore side, one of the people said.
Singapore and Hong Kong have been trying to revive their bubble plans after a previously scheduled November start was shelved due to a virus flareup in Hong Kong.
No Comments