Coronavirus: historic Hong Kong border checkpoint sparks fears of quarantine loophole
- The government has closed all but three crossings of the city’s boundary with mainland China
- But residents and officials say Kiu Tau checkpoint, which is run by the mainland administration, has remained open
For nearly three weeks, Hongkongers living on Chung Ying Street – a road where the boundaries between the city and mainland China blur – have been able to travel to Shenzhen and back without fear of quarantine, half a dozen local residents have told the Post.
The open checkpoint, accessible only to those living in the special section of the city’s Frontier Closed Area, has prompted a debate over a government quarantine exemption granted to Hong Kong residents living on the mainland side of the area.
Located near the border town of Sha Tau Kok, Chung Ying Street, a relic of colonial rule, has long held a special status, thriving for decades as a trading point for Hong Kong goods flowing to the mainland.
On Chung Ying Street, the distance between Hong Kong and mainland China is literally a matter of crossing the road. Around 2,000 Hong Kong permanent residents live on the mainland side.
Access to the road from either Hong Kong or the mainland, however, is heavily limited. Only residents and workers who have permits can enter, while visitors need to apply for permission well in advance.
When Hong Kong officially closed all but three mainland border control points on February 8 – leaving only Shenzhen Bay, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and the airport open – the Sha Tau Kok checkpoint, the border crossing for regular travellers closest to the town, was among those shut.
