Hong Kong to Forgo Quarantine for Visiting Mainland and Macao Residents

What’s new: Hong Kong will allow Chinese mainland and Macao residents to enter the city without going through mandatory quarantine starting Sept. 15, implementing a measure that had been delayed since May, Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced Tuesday.

“We have been talking about this for a long time but were never able to launch it, as there were often problems, either because of the rebound in cases in Hong Kong, or the mainland’s pandemic situation,” the Hong Kong leader said during her weekly press conference.

Under the program, up to 2,000 people will be allowed to enter the special administrative region, 1,000 through the Shenzhen Bay Port and 1,000 via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Port, Lam said.

What’s more: Starting Wednesday, Hong Kong residents coming in from anywhere on the mainland or Macao will also be allowed to enter without going through quarantine, the chief executive said.

Previously, only residents returning from the neighboring Guangdong province could bypass quarantine.

Hong Kong residents who want to return to the city will have to stay in Macao or the mainland for two weeks straight before entry. They will also be required to present a negative Covid-19 test result at the port of entry and submit to regular testing after their arrival, according to local media reports.

Quick Takes are condensed versions of China-related stories for fast news you can use.

Contact reporter Lu Zhenhua (zhenhualu@caixin.com) and editor Michael Bellart (michaelbellart@caixin.com)

Download our app to receive breaking news alerts and read the news on the go.

Get our weekly free Must-Read newsletter.