No more cross-border commuting: as coronavirus pandemic brings Hongkongers back from mainland, some end up homeless, jobless, needing help
- Mandatory quarantine restrictions end freedom to live in Shenzhen, work in Hong Kong
- Most homeless returnees surveyed by NGO are male, divorced, separated or single
The divorced father of two moved to the mainland city alone in 2016, drawn by its low cost of living. The 900 sq ft two-bedroom flat he rented there cost about HK$2,800 (US$361) a month, whereas the going rate for a comparable flat on Hong Kong Island would be about HK$35,000 a month on average.
“That was worth it. Life was stable,” he says. He did not mind commuting about two hours in the morning and again at night, with monthly travel costs of about HK$2,000.
“Every night I returned home, took a shower and had a beer. I felt relaxed there,” he says.
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Hongkongers left stranded after border between Hong Kong and mainland China practically shut down
But the pandemic disrupted life for Chu and Hongkongers such as him, who used to cross the border every day.
Aside from the partial closure of the border, travel restrictions in place since early February include a 14-day mandatory quarantine for everyone coming from the mainland.
