Resumption of China-Hong Kong Travel Likely Delayed Due to COVID-19 Spread

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] There are prospects that the Hong Kong government's plan for quarantine-free travel with China will be delayed due to the spread of COVID-19.

According to Global Times on the 4th, Tam Yiu-chung, a member of the Standing Committee of the Hong Kong National People's Congress, indicated this by saying, "The epidemic situation between Hong Kong and the mainland is changing."

In China, COVID-19 has recently been spreading mainly around Xi'an in Shanxi Province. According to the National Health Commission (NHC), China's health authority, 108 new confirmed cases were reported on the mainland the previous day.

Among them, 95 cases were in Xi'an, Shanxi Province, with 8 in Zhejiang Province and 5 in Henan Province. Xi'an has been placed under a full lockdown due to a cluster infection, and the cumulative number of confirmed cases from this cluster has exceeded 1,750.

In Hong Kong, a total of 177 people tested positive for COVID-19 from the 19th of last month to the 2nd of this month.

The Hong Kong government has been making efforts to resume travel with China, which was suspended due to COVID-19, including introducing the Chinese-style health code app called 'Hong Kong Health Code.'

Carrie Lam, Chief Executive of Hong Kong, visited China on the 22nd of last month and met with Premier Li Keqiang, requesting measures for economic recovery such as resuming travel with China.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.