Letters | Hong Kong should open quarantine-free travel with world first, instead of fixating on mainland

Readers argue against the focus on quarantine-free travel to the mainland, worry that Hong Kong’s prolonged isolation hurts its economy and reputation, and urge the government to explain the deeper reasons behind the current quarantine policy

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A woman and child walk past a Visit Hong Kong tourism poster at the port at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge on September 15. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 7:30am, 16 Oct 2021

Focusing on reopening the border with mainland China, as Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said in her policy address, may look like the sensible thing to do for Hong Kong but it is not.

Although Hong Kong is best in class in keeping Covid-19 infections at (almost) zero, this is still not enough to open the border with mainland China for at least another four to five months. And even when the border opens, the conditions for travel, probably including a tracing app, may not be acceptable for most in Hong Kong.

Second, we will never know how long the border will stay open because a small outbreak can close it again. This will make travelling to the mainland a risky operation.

Third, the cost of focusing on mainland China is that Hong Kong stays cut off from the rest of the world and suffers serious economic impact.

The other option – opening up quarantine-free travel corridors with other countries – can happen right now. Singapore, several European countries and others have done this or are in the process of it. These countries will not close their border to Hong Kong if it reports a small outbreak.

These conditions make travel to these countries acceptable for most in Hong Kong – the risk of being stuck abroad is low. It will also give Hong Kong an economic and morale boost.