HK in talks with Macau, mainland on easing travel restrictions

The Hong Kong government is currently in talks with Macau and mainland authorities on lifting some of the travel restrictions in place between the three regions.
The news was disclosed by Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam in an exclusive interview with Ta Kung Pao newspaper, as cited in an RTHK report.
The mandatory 14-day quarantine measure discourages residents of the three regions from traveling. Lam hopes that an agreement can be reached by the end of this month.
Until last Friday, there was no way for Hong Kong and Macau residents to travel directly between the cities due to the closure of ferry services and buses operating on the Hong-Kong-
Zhuhai Macau Bridge.
The shuttle bus service operating between Macau and Hong Kong via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge only recommenced operations last weekend, a month after being suspended.
However, previously announced travel and quarantine measures for local residents, non-resident workers and tourists are still in place.
Since late March, the Macau government has imposed various quarantine measures and other restrictions for tourists and residents upon arrival to the region.
Currently, Chinese nationals who are non-resident workers and are living in Zhuhai are allowed to enter the SAR under restrictive measures, which are still in place.
Since yesterday, Zhuhai-based blue card holders can enter Macau without having to go through mandatory quarantine if they have tested negative for the virus and if their health code results show a green QR code.
Although Macau residents have always been allowed to enter, they are still obliged to undergo a 14-day quarantine at a government-designated hotel. Non-resident workers who are from mainland China (except Hubei), Hong Kong and Taiwan are also allowed to enter, following the same quarantine measures.
Hong Kong has similar measures for persons arriving at the HKSAR from all places outside China since March 18.
Under their regulations, all persons having stayed in overseas countries and territories specified in a general notice in the Hong Kong government gazette for any period during the 14 days preceding arrival in Hong Kong, regardless of nationality and travel documents used, will be subject to compulsory quarantine measures for 14 days.
The regulation will take effect for three months.
Macau Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng previously announced that he planned to request that the central government extend its issuance of visa permits for mainlanders from other Chinese cities to travel to Macau.
Currently, the Individual Visit Scheme, which was launched in July 2003 to help boost Hong Kong and Macau’s economy following the SARS outbreak, is allowed for residents of 49 mainland cities, many of which are in Guangdong province.