garykung

There is no doubt about the effort to re-open the borders.

But the question, as well as the theme of this thread, is whether May 18 really the day for Hong Kong to re-open for the Mainland.

Again - I say no.

moondog

Methinks a lot comes down to the wishes of he who wears the pants

889

"Dr Leung Chi-chiu, chairman of the Medical Association's advisory committee on communicable diseases, agreed that the government could consider measures to open up borders after May 7, when the social-distancing measures and the compulsory quarantine arrangements covering travellers from the mainland expire. 'People who have reasons to constantly travel between the mainland and Hong Kong should be exempted [from the measures] first. They are not necessarily business travellers,' Leung said, adding that after the Labour Day holiday, if there was no virus outbreak on the mainland, ordinary people could be allowed to travel."

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...vernment-under

The story is headlined, "Hong Kong government is under increasing pressure to relax travel restrictions and open border with mainland China." It's the usual way the Government floats a trial balloon. Expect the border to re-open at least in some fashion come May.

garykung

Well...regardless right or wrong, the Government did not even listen to its expert, namely Professor Yuen.

So anything else is basically sideshow.

889

The point is, stories like this are a way of softening up the public for what's coming. As I said above:

"There are some prominent people in Hong Kong who are very sensitive to the winds blowing from the north. When they start making soothing noises about re-opening the border, you'll know the announcement is not far off."

I expect in the next week we'll see another story or two like this one, filled with soothing sounds about re-opening the border. Sounds that have been well-orchestrated.

889

More noise from big players about re-opening the Mainland border, today from the FTU:

"The Federation of Trade Unions on Saturday urged the government to ease border restrictions with places such as Macau and Guangdong province, in a bid to revive the economy and save jobs. The pro-Beijing federation’s secretary general, Wong Kwok, said Macau had not reported any local Covid-19 infection for 90 days, while the Guangdong province had not reported any local case for nine days. . . He said closing the borders for a long period of time is seriously undermining the city’s economic activities and worsening the plight of people who are out of jobs. . . He said while strict border controls should remain in place against countries or regions where the coronavirus epidemic had not subsided, restrictions should be eased with places where the situation had improved."

http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/componen...8-20200509.htm

tentseller

How soft are the people now?

889

Folk like the FTU are perfect examples of those "prominent people in Hong Kong who are very sensitive to the winds blowing from the north." They're doing this "urging" to help provide cover for the Government when it announces the border will be re-opening.

tentseller

"Any ways the wind blow" F Mercury.

OR in HK Canto:
Bad bone aroma?

garykung

FTU, even as a labor organization similar to AFL-CIO, works against workers in almost all instances. Even its own prominent person/legislator admits that on camera.

percysmith

Just read it as a government decision, already finalised. You’ll feel saner (if not necessarily better).

889

So we now have official confirmation that Hong Kong, Macau and the Mainland are making arrangements for mutual re-opening of the borders without imposing quarantine.

But there seem to be two conditions. First that the traveller pass a virus test. Second that the traveller have a specified purpose for the border crossing. Whatever that will be. Gambling? Who knows, but the message seems to be quarantine-less border crossing won't be for everyone.

https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/compone...1-20200511.htm

There's also been no hint whether the Mainland will relax its "no-foreigners" policy at the HK border. If it doesn't, then the re-opened border for entry to the Mainland will be open only to those who hold HRPs, Chinese passports, and other Mainland travel documents.

889

More soothing noises about re-opening in the SCMP, as well as reports that talks with Taiwan about mutual re-opening are underway:

"Coronavirus: time for Hong Kong to shift from containment to mitigation, experts say"

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...ft-containment

I suspect the problem with fully opening the borders -- land and air -- is the lack of testing capacity. A story the other day said that Guangdong and two neighboring provinces had a daily testing capacity of about 300,000. Yet in normal times, daily arrivals in Hong Kong are well over 100,000.

BuildingMyBento

You don't think China is capable of limiting its own citizens from visiting Honkers? After this 1st.5 wave passes in HK, will HK locals just get back to protesting Beijing?

The few times I did the Luo Ma Zhou crossing last November, there were barely any visitors.

percysmith

Didn't say what Taiwan thinks of it. I don't see any statement about this on the Taiwan side (Taiwan side did say they're considering Australia and New Zealand, not Hong Kong https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3930316)