Hong Kong’s Chief Executive said on Tuesday that he would make a decision soon on easing restrictions on entry into the territory, just as residents and businesses complain about the quarantine rules, which have kept the financial center closed. in the last two years
“We will make a decision and announce it to the public soon,” Chief Executive John Lee told reporters. “We want to be connected to different parts of the world again”. And we would like to make this opening in an orderly way”, he added, without committing himself, however, to a concrete timeline.
John Lee’s statements followed statements made by a senior Chinese government official to journalists in Beijing in support of a possible easing of anti-pandemic measures by Hong Kong. “It is normal for the Hong Kong government to adjust and improve anti-covid measures,” said Huang Liuquan, Deputy Director of the Office for Hong Kong and Macao Affairs of the State Council.
This signal from Beijing, of approval in easing anti-pandemic rules, gives Hong Kong room for maneuver to chart its own course in combating infections and controlling the pandemic. But it is also a sign that China accepts a possible reopening of borders between it and the neighboring region, along with the re-establishment of links with the rest of the world.
Hong Kong adhered to the Chinese “Zero-Cases” policy throughout the entire period of the pandemic, negatively and deeply affecting the economy, and aggravating the process (already underway) of business relocation from the city to other regional financial centers, as the latter reopen.
John Lee took over as Chief Executive in July and promised to reopen the city while keeping the number of Covid-19 cases low. However, Hong Kong still mandates mandatory three-day quarantine at designated hotels for all passengers arriving from international flights, imposes limits on business operations, and prohibits the gathering in public of groups of more than four people.
The Chief Executive has faced increasing criticism from residents, business organizations and health experts, who argue that more should be done in easing anti-covid rules. Thus, Lee’s recent comments indicate that Hong Kong plans to join much of the rest of the world in accepting the endemicity of the disease. That would leave only Mainland China, Macau and Taiwan under mandatory quarantine upon arrival in their respective territories.
Contrary to what happens in Mainland China and Macau, most Hong Kong residents have already had Covid-19 due to the outbreak that emerged in early 2022, making it one of the cities with the highest per capita mortality rate in the world. world.
