China News Agency, Hong Kong, January 1. The Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Chen Guoji, said on the 1st that he will strive to implement the first phase of "customs clearance" between Hong Kong and the Mainland as early as January 8.

  Chen Guoji posted on social media on the same day that the "Customs Clearance Coordination Group" assigned by the Chief Executive, led by him and 15 policy bureaux to participate, is working against the clock to formulate a sound plan to achieve a gradual, orderly and comprehensive "customs clearance".

  Chen Guoji pointed out that the SAR government is in close contact with the central government and relevant units of the Guangdong and Shenzhen governments.

The SAR government is striving to implement the first phase of "customs clearance" as early as January 8. In addition to the ports that are currently open, some ports that have been closed for a long time will resume operations.

  Chen Guoji said that in the initial stage of "customs clearance", an appropriate number of passengers will be preset for passengers traveling between the mainland and Hong Kong, and the number of sea, land and air transportation between the mainland and Hong Kong will be gradually increased to meet actual needs.

Depending on the operation of the first stage of "customs clearance", the scale of "customs clearance" will be further expanded, and eventually a comprehensive "customs clearance" will be achieved.

  "In order to reduce the risk of cross-infection of the epidemic, we recommend that Hong Kong citizens and mainland tourists traveling to Hong Kong must undergo a nucleic acid test in advance to ensure that they are negative before they can pass the border." Chen Guoji wrote.

(use up)