Beijing Should Allow Cross-border Ambulances: DAB

The DAB on Wednesday proposed allowing cross-border ambulance services, so that Hong Kong paramedics can transport patients directly to hospitals on the mainland, and vice-versa.

This is among a series of proposals the party plans to put forward at the annual "two sessions" in the capital.

The meeting of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) begins on Friday, and that of the National People's Congress on Saturday.

Hong Kong's member of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, the DAB's Tam Yiu-chung, said the ambulance idea isn't just to ease the recent pressure on local paramedics - but to improve services in the long-term.

"We hope to have a more efficient and better service. Right now, it takes some time to hand over patients at the border for both the mainland and in Hong Kong. Sometimes, with urgent cases, I think it's unsatisfactory to spend time on handing patients over," he told an online press conference.

Tam said technical issues shouldn't be too hard to resolve, saying the authorities can discuss a special passageway and licensing conditions.

DAB chairwoman Starry Lee, who's a member of the CPPCC, proposed that Hong Kong people should be allowed to make fast renminbi payments to mainland bank accounts held by other people.

"In order to facilitate transfers, we suggest not only transfers to own accounts, but to different authorised accounts in mainland banks. Whether it involves regulatory problems, if the suggestion is being considered by the central government, we have to have some technical amendments," she said.

Lee also proposed allowing Hong Kong people to set up designated bank accounts for property transactions on the mainland, in order that the transferable amount can exceed the daily limit of ¥80,000.

Meanwhile, NPC delegate Brave Chan said the mainland should fully ban the consumption of cat and dog meat, saying it could help improve the country's international image.

Many Hong Kong delegates, including Tam, Ma Fung-kwok and Basic Law Committee deputy head Maria Tam, are unable to travel to Beijing to join the meetings, mainly because they are considered to be close contacts of Covid patients.

Tam Yiu-chung expressed the hope that half of the 36 deputies in total could still make the trip to the capital on Thursday.