People line up at the Shenzhen Bay checkpoint to enter the Chinese mainland, Nov 24, 2021. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government is striving to gradually resume normal travel with the Chinese mainland at the latest by Jan 8, Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki said on Sunday.
Chan, who chairs a cross-disciplinary coordination group on the resumption of quarantine-free travel, said in a social media post that apart from the land ports that are now in operation, other checkpoints that have been closed for almost three years will reopen.
A quota will be set for those traveling between Hong Kong and the mainland. The HKSAR government will also gradually increase the land, air and sea traffic flows between the two sides
Initially, a quota will be set for those traveling between Hong Kong and the mainland. The government will also gradually increase the land, air and sea traffic flows between the two sides.
Based on the situation in the first phase of the resumption, the government will further expand cross-boundary travel until full normalization, Chan said.
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The central government downgraded its management of COVID-19 and announced on Dec 26 that travelers to the mainland will no longer need to be quarantined upon arrival from Jan 8.
The National Immigration Administration said a day later it would resume processing travel documents enabling mainland residents to visit the HKSAR for tourism and business.
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It would also resume accepting and approving applications by mainland residents for ordinary passports for traveling and visiting friends abroad.