CE Going To Beijing For Duty Visit

Chief Executive John Lee says he is going on a four-day duty visit to Beijing on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters before the weekly Executive Council meeting on Tuesday, Lee said he will report in detail about Hong Kong's political and economic environment to the country's leaders.

He said the community has become more lively and people are happier since anti-pandemic measures were eased.

The CE said he will also explain the Covid situation and measures in place in the SAR, as well as the desire among many Hong Kong people to resume quarantine-free travel with the mainland - though he said Beijing already knows this.

"It is something that I think we are all working hard to see how it can be done, because we all know very well that while we want to do this, we have to consider how we do it in an orderly fashion maintaining a good control of the risks and potential problems that may arise when new arrangements are introduced," he said.

"But there is very strong common commitment to ensure that things progress in good speed and at the same time with risks and issues under control."

The CE said he has told mainland officials that Hong Kong is happy to do anything it can to cooperate with them in controlling the Covid situation more effectively so that new border arrangements can be rolled out.

Lee said the Health Bureau will announce relaxations to some social distancing measures on Tuesday afternoon, but stressed that a gradual approach will be taken to minimise risks.

Separately, Lee said he looks forward to a decision by the National People's Congress Standing Committee on whether it will interpret the national security law to ban overseas lawyers from taking on national security cases if they do not have full qualifications to practise in Hong Kong.

Asked if Beijing might not accept his request, Lee noted that three central organisations in Hong Kong, as well as the State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, have expressed support for such a move, adding that the matter has to proceed according to mainland laws and regulations.

Meanwhile, Lee said his administration has contacted the Commissioner's Office of China's Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong after Ukrainian authorities showed the SAR's flag in black and white on social media.

He said the issue will be handled through diplomatic channels.