Today marks a historic moment for Hong Kong. A new, long-awaited visa-free scheme takes effect, ensuring seamless travel for non-Chinese permanent residents in Hong Kong and Macau to the mainland.
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Announced on July 1, the 27th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, these non-Chinese permanent residents can apply for a mainland China travel permit with validity of five years, during which they can make multiple visits to the mainland of up to 90 days each for both business and leisure.
This is an excellent move that will bolster both cross-border travel and commercial activity. In addition, it will signal the country’s determination for Hong Kong to continue to serve as an international hub under the “one country, two systems” framework. It demonstrates that the central government and the Hong Kong government are working together to enhance this framework to bolster the city’s international appeal.
As someone who was born in Hong Kong and has lived abroad, I have benefited from our city’s international openness, dynamic multinationalism and flourishing business community.
Many of my friends hail from non-Chinese families who settled here several generations ago and built their bases here, and they passionately identify with this city as their home. One area that is often highlighted to boost cross-border travel is clearance at immigration checkpoints.
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With our unique East-meets-West cultural ambience, recreation and dining scene in Hong Kong, we are well-placed to help non-Chinese residents acclimatise to and cultivate deeper contextual expertise on China. Our institutional distinctiveness, common law jurisdiction and quality of life for expatriate workers are all conducive to attracting talented people, capital and firms to Hong Kong.
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What to know: new mainland travel permits for non-Chinese nationals in Hong Kong and Macau
What to know: new mainland travel permits for non-Chinese nationals in Hong Kong and Macau
