After three long years, checkpoints at the border separating Hong Kong from mainland China are set to reopen from Sunday in a move that’s seen as having a muted impact on the city initially.
Businesses in the city face a number of challenges, which partly stem from the lengthy closure. Wealthy mainland Chinese took their business to Singapore, which opened its borders earlier last year. Factory owners shifted manufacturing from China to countries in Southeast Asia. Local hotel and catering firms are struggling with a shortage of manpower after employees found work elsewhere. Hundreds of thousands of people left Hong Kong.
The reopening will be a slow process. There will be a limit of about 60,000 people allowed to travel into the mainland from the financial hub every day, Chief Executive John Lee said at a briefing Thursday. People traveling in either direction will need to show a 48-hour negative PCR test result, while some land border control points will stay shut for now.
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