It was definitely breaking news, and also an inspiring signal of a long-expected economic revival, which was applauded by many from home and aboard, when the adjustment for inbound travelers from seven days’ compulsory quarantine to a “3+4” model was announced on Aug 8.
Supported by scientific data, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government decided to relax the quarantine requirements to allow international travelers to be released from their designated quarantine hotels on the fourth day after their arrival in Hong Kong and thereafter subject to a four-day medical surveillance.
This breakthrough in easing quarantine requirements is certainly an embodiment of the current administration’s commitment to achieving good governance. On the regional level, Hong Kong is frequently being placed side by side with Singapore for comparison on all fronts, including the pace of reopening their respective borders in the middle of a rampant COVID-19 outbreak. With a recent partial relaxation of the quarantine requirements, the city is taking steps to consolidate its reputation as an international center for finance, trade and logistics with a free flow of investors and talents, and restore itself to a better position in competition with the Lion City. With the cost of travel reduced and convenience increased, the new quarantine arrangement is seen to be an accelerated effort to retain and attract expatriate professionals and multinational companies to stay in, or return to, Hong Kong for business.
On an earlier occasion, the chief executive said that opening up borders with the mainland and on the international front is “by no means mutually exclusive”. The move of loosening the quarantine measures gives a powerful push to the long-awaited recovery of the local economy, particularly tourism, by injecting more economic vigor expected to be brought about by the growing number of inbound travelers. The new quarantine arrangement is likely to benefit multiple sectors in Hong Kong, such as hospitality, retail, as well as food and beverage. In parallel, easing the pressure on demands for quarantine hotels could help release hotels that were originally subject to a quarantine arrangement back to the market for normal trade such as receiving overseas visitors, holding banquets, and convening conferences.
Before the real influx, and also outflow, of travelers bring the tangible results in the statistic, the price of airfares had soared within 24 hours of the news release. The would-be travelers are now struggling with the rise in flights, both in numbers and in prices, and become the harbingers of an economic recovery in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong’s economy has been hard-hit by the pandemic for the past two years, and the foreign travelers and talents are scared of the lengthy quarantine period being put in place here. When the strictest anti-pandemic measures were first imposed in the last quarter of 2020, the arrivals had to face a 21-day quarantine period — which was the world’s longest at that time — not to mention other requirements under which these arrivals had to conduct numerous PCR tests and self-arranged rapid antigen tests during the long quarantine period. It is not difficult to imagine that such restrictions would tremendously and adversely impact peoples’ desire to come to Hong Kong. The city, which was once deemed a “shoppers’ paradise”, has been an isolated place, where few tourists could be spotted on the streets.
Having implemented the shortened quarantine cycle for a week, we see hopes in Hong Kong picking up in reconnecting to the rest of the world and gaining energy to continue to perform its role as a super-connector between the Chinese mainland and the rest of the world. What we must not forget is that not only is Hong Kong the international financial center of the world, it is also the international financial center of China. Encouraged by the “four musts” in the speech made by President Xi Jinping at the assembly celebrating the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland on July 1, the government of the special administrative region is obliged to maintain Hong Kong’s unique status and strengths by keeping up a free, open and sound business environment. It goes without saying that the bond between the HKSAR and the rest of the nation grows in every aspect, and the city now is expected to play better and smarter than ever as a nexus of China and the rest of the world. The partially loosened quarantine requirement for inbound travelers certainly serves the interest of Hong Kong and the country as a whole, which has been deemed as convincing evidence of the successful implementation of “one country, two systems”.
We are glad to see that the new arrangement is basically embraced by all sectors across the city, especially the foreign business travelers and relatives from abroad who have their family members living in Hong Kong. The new arrangement sets a good example of starting a “new chapter” for Hong Kong as proclaimed by John Lee Ka-chiu during his CE election campaign. Of course, many residents who are galvanized by their never-fading can-do spirit know for sure that the HKSAR government can never be complacent about the city’s entrenched strength and advantages. In fact, many of the people in Hong Kong are expecting the new governing team, by casting close scrutiny on the development of the pandemic locally and internationally, to proceed in full swing to fully open the borders as soon as possible.
The author is a member of China Retold, vice-chairwoman of Y Legalites, a member of Hong Kong’s Election Committee and a Hong Kong member of the All-China Youth Federation.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.