"Hong Kong has basically achieved the conditions" to resume quarantine-free travel with Mainland: Expert committee

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"The Mainland experts affirmed that Hong Kong has strengthened a series of anti-epidemic measures and fostered a favourable environment for resumption of quarantine-free travel," it was shared in the post-event statement.

In the second meeting on the anti-epidemic work of the Mainland and Hong Kong held in Shenzhen, the experts announced that "Hong Kong has basically achieved the conditions of resumption of quarantine-free travel".

"The Mainland experts affirmed that Hong Kong has strengthened a series of anti-epidemic measures and fostered a favourable environment for resumption of quarantine-free travel," it was shared in the post-event statement.

The meeting was hosted by Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Huang Liuquan, who credited the HKSAR Government for its epidemic prevention and control measures, in line with the zero-infection goal and guarding against the importation of cases and the resurgence of local infection. The Chief Secretary for Administration, John Lee, led representatives of HKSAR to attend the meeting.

What's next on both sides?

In order to successfully resume quarantine-free travel between Mainland China and the HKSAR, the following are the steps forward:

1. Both sides to submit reports on the relevant anti-epidemic measures and the implementation plan of resumption of quarantine-free travel in accordance with relevant procedure.
2. Further exchange of views would be conducted if needed.
3. Task forces to be set up on both sides to study:
   1. The interface, code conversion and operation issues of the health code systems of Hong Kong and the Mainland; and
   2. The management of and cooperation as well as joint prevention and control mechanism at boundary control points.

Priorities for HKSAR to get in place

On the HKSAR Government's side, it is now moving on to get fully prepared for the implementation of quarantine-free travel, which includes the following tasks:

• Roll-out of the "Hong Kong Health Code"
• Plan of workflow at boundary control points
• Allocation of manpower
• Co-operation mechanism between Hong Kong and the Mainland
• Mechanism to identify high-risk persons.

Chief Secretary Lee has requested the Food and Health Bureau to immediately follow up on the comments provided by the Mainland experts and strengthen the management of high-exposure groups.

He has also requested the Innovation and Technology Bureau to announce the implementation plan of the "Hong Kong Health Code" next week to enable citizens to download and familiarise themselves with the mobile app soonest.

The meeting, hosted by Huang, was attended by Mainland representatives including Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR Yin Zonghua, experts from the National Health Commission and representatives from the General Administration of Customs, the National Immigration Administration, the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the People's Government of Guangdong Province, the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government, and the Zhuhai Municipal People's Government.　　
　　
HKSAR representatives led by Lee included the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan; the Secretary for Innovation and Technology,Alfred Sit; the Under Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Clement Woo; and representatives of the Department of Health, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, the Security Bureau, the Transport and Housing Bureau and other related bureaux and departments.

 Image / 123RF

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