'Quarantine-free Mainland Travel May Start Mid-year'

Financial Secretary Paul Chan on Friday said the Hong Kong government hopes quarantine-free travel between the SAR and the mainland will be allowed to resume in the middle of the year, if the Covid-19 situation is under control.

Speaking on an RTHK phone-in programme about his Budget, the finance chief said the government was on the cusp of announcing quarantine-free travel arrangements with the mainland at the beginning of the year.

“Because of this wave of Omicron, of course, this had been shelved,” Chan said.

“It is quite hopeful that if we are able to bring this wave of [Covid-19] under control, and keep the dynamic-zero situation, we would be able to restart border [crossing] with the mainland without quarantine restrictions towards the end of the second quarter, or in the third quarter."