Authorities are reportedly considering whether to exempt participants from onerous quarantine requirements, prompting a potential backlash.
The Hong Kong government is studying the possibility of exempting participants in the upcoming banking summit in November from mandatory hotel quarantine requirements, according to local media «Hong Kong Economic Times» in a column that cites unnamed sources.
According to the media outlet, no decision has been made given Hong Kong's top officials remain uncertain as to whether or not the city can scrap hotel quarantine for all visitors by November.
The move follows reports that top global banking executives in the US and Europe will only attend if quarantine-free entry into Hong Kong is allowed. The CEOs of Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and UBS were among those that have been informally invited to the summit.
Quarantine-Free Travel
If the Hong Kong government follows through, these will not be the first exemptions issued to foreigners entering the city. In 2021, Hollywood actor Nicole Kidman and JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon received such exemptions to enter the city without quarantine. The steps prompted widespread discontent from a public that was then subject to strict restrictions. These have now lasted for almost three years, potentially serving to exacerbate the issue should there be further exemptions.
Separately, Hong Kong health chief Lo Chung-mau spoke about the possibility of quarantine-free travel in time for the summit as early as July this year. According to Lo, authorities need to «listen to what President Xi Jinping said on Hong Kong’s 25th handover anniversary», citing directives that included maintaining Hong Kong’s own uniqueness and strengths.
Earlier this month, as finews.asia reported, Hong Kong announced a widely expected reduction of the hotel quarantine requirement for inbound travellers from seven to three days. The remaining four days of quarantine can be spent at home under medical surveillance, limited access to specified venues, and regular testing.
