Hong Kong is in talks with 10 countries to develop "travel bubbles" and is also in "in-depth" discussions with Thailand and Japan, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau Tang-wah said.
A travel bubble would allow residents of two places to travel between them without undergoing quarantine. However, the proposal has been put on hold since the recent resurgence of infections in Hong Kong.
In a webinar yesterday, Yau said the government has been in talks with eight to 10 countries and regions in the hopes of rebuilding the travel sector.
"If both sides agree to resume the flow of people between them, tourists should undergo a virus test that is recognized by both regions or countries before boarding the plane," Yau said.
"Border health officials will then decide whether to do another virus test for tourists upon arrival."
He added that determining which residents will have priority in traveling once the bubbles are set up is not the most urgent task for the government.
"As of now, discussions with Thailand and Japan are more in-depth," Yau said. "But I have to emphasize that implementing travel bubbles is not a task that can be done in a short period of time as a set of mutually recognized virus test standards has to be in place beforehand."
The idea was proposed by Thai officials in June, with the Hong Kong Tourism Board saying that Hong Kong was in discussions with other regions on setting up the bubbles but the third wave of infections halted plans.
The pandemic in Japan seemed to return this month, with around 1,000 people testing positive daily across the country after cases dropped in June.
Thailand, on the other hand, recorded less than 20 new cases daily since late April across the country, with less than 10 cases every day most of the time.
Yau, separately, said the US requirement for Hong Kong products to relabel themselves as "made in China" has been postponed for 45 days until November 9 - six days after the US presidential election - following a request from trade sector representatives.
He did not elaborate further.
This came two weeks after Washington issued a notification that all goods made in Hong Kong and exported to the United States have to be labeled as "made in China" after September 25.
The commerce official said he hoped things would calm down after the election on November 3.
Asked if it would be better for Sino-US relations if Democrat Joe Biden were to win, Yau said: "I hope there will be a return of common sense in this battle initiated by the US against China [and] against Hong Kong."
Yau further said: "There is sufficient mutual interest for all of us to work for the betterment of our communities and economies."
michael.shum@singtaonewscorp.com
