Parallel Trading Menace Back Again: Lam Cheuk-ting

Parallel traders are once again making residents' lives a misery in Sheung Shui, Democratic Party lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting said on Friday, as he announced a protest this weekend over the issue.

Lam said the town is being inundated with mainland shoppers who buy goods in bulk to sell over the border, and the problem has been getting worse in the run-up to the Chinese New Year holiday.

He called on the government to only allow mainlanders to enter Hong Kong a maximum of eight times a year as a way to limit parallel trading activities, which he said "severely affect the livelihoods" of people in Northern District.

The councillor, who represents the New Territories East constituency, said he was arranging a protest this Sunday which will be conducted "in a civilised and peaceful manner".

He said participants should not use violence against anyone.

Demonstrations against parallel traders in 2016 were rowdy at times, with some protesters even kicking people they suspected were buying up goods such as milk powder, vitamins and medicines, to resell over the border.

The councillor said the police have issued a letter of no objection for his protest and he hoped they would deploy sufficient manpower to maintain order.

He noted that another protest against parallel traders was planned for the area on the same day, but he believed it would not overlap with his.