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Hong Kong, mainland China in talks over bringing back multiple-entry visas for Shenzhen residents before Lunar New Year: government source

  • Government insider says resumption of scheme possible before Lunar New Year, but final decision has yet to be made
  • Liaison office director meets Guangdong party secretary, provincial governor to discuss ways to enhance cooperation and boost development of Greater Bay Area

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Visitors arrive in Hong Kong. The multiple-entry scheme was replaced in 2015. Photo: Elson Li
Lo Hoi-ying
Talks are under way between Hong Kong and mainland China to resume a multiple-entry visa scheme for Shenzhen residents before Lunar New Year, a government source has said, with the retail sector praising the potential move as a boost for the economy.

But the insider on Thursday also said a final decision had not been made yet, as many cross-border measures required further discussion with mainland officials.

“It’s possible [to resume the scheme before Lunar New Year],” the source said. “The government remains open to any measures that can help promote the city’s tourism industry.”

The talks were held as the director of Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong, Zheng Yanxiong, went to Guangzhou to meet Guang­dong party secretary Huang Kunming and the province’s governor, Wang Weizhong, to exchange views on ways to enhance cooperation and boost development of the Greater Bay Area.

Huang said he hoped the liaison office would continue to guide and support Guangdong in collaborating with Hong Kong to promote construction of the bay area, according to a statement from the office.

He added efforts should be made to strengthen the “hard connectivity” of infrastructure and the “soft connectivity” of systems and rules, accelerate the integration of the bay area market, deepen industrial and technological cooperation, and join hands in building a high-level talent hub in the region.

Zheng said they would continue to act as the “super liaison officer” and “super server”, and work with Guangdong to deepen cooperation in fields such as the economy, trade, science and technology. The bay area is Beijing’s scheme to link Hong Kong, Macau and nine Guangdong cities into an economic powerhouse.

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