The Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Lee Ka-chao, returned to Hong Kong after finishing his first trip to Beijing to report on his duties on December 24.
When meeting the media at the airport, he said that customs clearance between Hong Kong and the mainland can be achieved, and the central government agrees to complete customs clearance in a gradual, orderly and comprehensive manner.
The chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Lee Ka-chao, said that customs clearance between Hong Kong and the mainland can be achieved, and the central government agrees to gradually, orderly and comprehensive customs clearance.
Photographer Chen Yongnuo
Li Jiachao said that the SAR government will contact relevant units in real time, including the National Health and Medical Commission, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, the Guangdong and Shenzhen Municipal Governments, communicate and contact, actively seek a consensus plan, and then submit it to the central government for approval. The goal is to be implemented before mid-January 2023. The entire customs clearance process must be "gradual, orderly and comprehensive".
Li Jiachao pointed out that the customs clearance of the two places will take into account the changes in the epidemic situation and risk management in the two places, and formulate plans according to the optimization of measures, and will try to achieve the most favorable balance while meeting the needs and the requirements of safety and order as much as possible.
The government immediately set up a "Customs Clearance Coordination Team" consisting of 15 policy bureaus of the entire government. Under the leadership of the Chief Secretary for Administration of the Special Administrative Region Government, Chen Guoji, the work will be promoted in an all-round way. He will return to the Political Bureau in real time to preside over the high-level meeting and discuss with the bureau chief what needs to be promoted. Work and determine the plan as soon as possible.
Three years of anti-epidemic customs clearance is so close and so far away
At the beginning of 2020, when people were still immersed in the joy of the Chinese New Year, a sudden epidemic broke out in Hong Kong...
On January 23, 2020, the first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus was found in Hong Kong.
On February 4, 2020, Hong Kong reported the first death of a person diagnosed with the novel coronavirus.
From 00:00 on the same day, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region closed the Luohu, Lok Ma Chau, Huanggang ports, and the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal.
From February 8, 2020, Hong Kong has promulgated new quarantine measures. People who come to Hong Kong from the Mainland or have stayed in the Mainland in the past 14 days must be quarantined for 14 days after entering Hong Kong.
The Guangdong Provincial Epidemic Prevention and Control Headquarters also announced that from March 27, all people entering through Guangdong ports must be quarantined for 14 days.
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"I work in Shenzhen and my wife is in Hong Kong. Before we got married in 2019, we went to Hong Kong to see her from Nanshan via the Shenzhen Bay Bridge every weekend. Although we work in two cities, the distance between us is only 40 minutes. In an interview with a reporter from China News Agency, Li Wei said that starting from 2020, the distance between Hong Kong and Shenzhen has changed from 40 minutes to 14 days, and then continued to increase to 28 days.
"In the past three years of fighting the epidemic, I only went to Hong Kong three times, and spent tens of thousands of yuan before and after the quarantine." For Li Wei, Hong Kong is no longer a place where he can go anytime, and his wife is not someone who can see him whenever he wants. It used to take 10 minutes to pass the pass, but it has become a silent look of "you are here, and I am there".
"We can only meet at Xiangyuan, on the border of Shenzhen and Hong Kong, across the Shenzhen River, and make hand gestures to convey love." Li Wei said helplessly.
After nearly two years of living in the cloud in this way, on September 15, 2021, Hong Kong officially launched the "Easy Arrival to Hong Kong", a one-way exemption from compulsory quarantine arrangements for entry.
Although it is limited to mainland non-Hong Kong residents who have neither been to areas other than Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau, nor are they in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau epidemic risk areas in the 14 days before entering Hong Kong, Hong Kong has taken an important step in customs clearance with the mainland, which also makes people like Li Wei of cross-border couples see hope.
Citizens look forward to clearing the customs and return to the mainland to reunite with their relatives with big bags and small bags.
(File photo) Photographer Li Zhihua
Li Wei remembers that in mid-December 2021, Hong Kong launched the Hong Kong version of the health code, expressing preparations for customs clearance.
At the end of December, Li Jiachao, then Chief Secretary for Administration of Hong Kong, said that customs clearance had reached the crossing stage.
Just when he saw the hope of a family reunion, the epidemic made another twists and turns.
Local cases reappeared in Hong Kong after "clearing" for several months.
Cathay Pacific employees in Hong Kong triggered an outbreak of local infection groups, and the SAR government once again tightened epidemic prevention measures.
In order to curb the epidemic, Hong Kong has implemented a regional flight circuit breaker mechanism. From January 8, 2022, civil aviation passenger planes from eight countries will be prohibited from landing in Hong Kong.
"After countless customs clearance delays in Hong Kong, I was almost forced to get used to becoming an online friend with my wife. Anyway, customs clearance is nowhere in sight." Li Yan shook his head sighing.
In the third year of fighting against the epidemic, under the voices of many parties, Hong Kong finally announced the withdrawal of quarantine measures for international entry. The Chief Executive of the Special Administrative Region, Lee Ka-chao, announced on September 23, 2022 that after the relaxation of quarantine measures on September 26, people from foreign countries or From the day of Taiwan's entry into Hong Kong, it will be quarantined in a hotel for three days, and the self-medical surveillance will be changed to "0+3" for the next four days.
The "Easy Return" mechanism for Hong Kong people to return to Hong Kong without quarantine in the Mainland and the "Easy Arrival" mechanism for non-Hong Kong residents to go to Hong Kong without quarantine will also become unlimited from the same day. After the airport accepts the sampling, it can be released, and you can freely choose the means of transportation to leave the airport.
During the epidemic, some mainland students in Hong Kong returned to the mainland to visit relatives.
(File photo) Photographer Li Zhihua
"After Hong Kong further relaxed, there is also good news in the Mainland." Li Yan told reporters that the Mainland announced the "New Ten Measures" to significantly relax the epidemic prevention measures, and the "Health Station" entering Shenzhen continued to increase the number of appointments. On December 9, 2022, every The number increased from 1,000 per day to 2,000, and then increased to 2,800 per day on the 22nd.
From December 25th, the number of appointments will be further increased to 3,500 per day.
Hong Kong's social distancing measures have been further relaxed, and the upper limit on the number of people in amusement parks has been withdrawn.
(File photo) Photographer Li Zhihua
All the people are waiting for customs clearance
During the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Chief Executive Li Jiachao's report in Beijing, Tian Beichen, a member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council, revealed that the MTR has been notified that the high-speed rail should be ready to open to traffic at any time. It is estimated that measures will be launched in early January, and there is no need to wait until after the Lunar New Year.
Since December 12, Guangdong-Hong Kong logistics has taken the lead in "clearing customs", and the cross-border truck transportation has been adjusted to a "point-to-point" transportation mode. Cross-border truck drivers can go directly to the operation point to pick up or deliver goods. There is no limit for the relevant arrangements.
The Transport and Logistics Bureau of the Special Administrative Region stated that in order to promote the import and export of freight logistics in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, which is beneficial to economic development, after close communication between the governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong, the two sides agreed to optimize and adjust. Cross-border truck drivers only need to pass the "cross-border "An" system to make an appointment to declare.
The Transport Department will continue to conduct rapid nucleic acid tests for drivers of cross-border trucks at the Hong Kong port. Drivers with negative results can only enter the mainland with a negative nucleic acid certificate within 48 hours on the "Guangdong Health Code".
The Transport Department has notified the cross-boundary freight trade of the details of the measures.
The Shenzhen Port Office stated that in principle, cross-border drivers "enter Hong Kong on the same day and return to Hong Kong on the same day". If it is really necessary to stay overnight in Guangdong Province, they must declare a designated accommodation point in the "Cross-Border Security" system before entering the country.
After the cross-border driver enters the country, the Yuekang code is a "yellow code", and the whole process is endlessly managed. They must wear N95 or KN95 medical masks. Drivers who test positive will not be allowed to enter the country within 8 days from the date of diagnosis.
Mr. Ma, a driver engaged in cross-border transport, said that resuming the original arrangements before the fifth wave of the epidemic rekindled his hope of life. Under the epidemic prevention arrangements, the drivers in the industry were miserable, and it took nearly 20 hours to line up for disinfection at the Shenzhen port. 4 hours, because of the time cost, the shipper pays one to two times more freight.
On the day of hearing the news of customs clearance, the reporter called Mr. Ma again. He said that he and his partners hoped that life would return to normal as soon as possible, but at the same time hoped that the SAR government would make sufficient preparations to deal with possible emergencies after the switch.
Life in Hong Kong is gradually returning to normal.
(File photo) Photographer Li Zhihua
A staff member of the medical group told the reporter that it is believed that after customs clearance, a large number of mainland tourists will come to Hong Kong to enjoy medical services, and they are ready to welcome the mainland tourists who will come to Hong Kong soon.
Ms. Zhou, who works in the medical industry, said that the medical center she works for has held a meeting to consider extending the service hours. The center will regularly update WeChat, Weibo and other mainland social media to share health information in a timely manner, so that mainlanders can fully understand Hong Kong's medical service arrangements.
Liu Xin, the owner of a seafood restaurant in Kennedy Town, said in an interview with reporters that customs clearance in January next year coincides with the prime time for the New Year’s Eve dinner, and he has already contacted the food supplier to reserve enough seafood. The business is expected to grow. He has contacted The three employees who were previously dismissed will be rehired in the near future.
In addition, on December 21, a high-speed train from Beijing to Hong Kong appeared on the China Railway mobile application, and the date is January 4 next year.
According to relevant reports from the Mainland, the ticketing platform shows that there will be a high-speed rail train on January 4 next year, from Beijing West to Hong Kong West Kowloon, and the train number is G79.
However, when the reporter opened the app to search recently, it only showed "train diagram adjustment, suspension of sale".
Reporter Dai Xiaolu