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Bloomberg
China may remove quarantine requirements for cross-border travellers between Hong Kong and the mainland as early as January 3, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported, citing mainland official sources.
A policy known as “0+3†is being considered, under which travellers to the mainland would no longer be required to undergo five days of quarantine and instead only have to “observe three days of medical surveillance,†the Hong Kong-based English newspaper said.
“Many are working hard towards a tentative date of January 3,†the report cited a Beijing-based official as saying, referring to the targeted date of easing border controls.
The report came after Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee told media that the city intends to start reopening its borders with mainland China before mid-January, aiming at returning to pre-Covid cross-border travel arrangements.
Speaking to reporters on returning from a trip to Beijing, where he met President Xi Jinping, Lee said his team will hold talks with Shenzhen and Guangdong governments to formulate a plan to reopen the borders, and will form a task force to focus on the issue.
Top Hong Kong officials met on Christmas Day to discuss details of a plan to fully reopen the city’s border with mainland China, with Chief Secretary for Administration Chan Kwok-ki chairing the first meeting of a new task force that brought together ministers from each of 15 bureaus to look at matters.