Gov’t flights for HK people in Hubei

February 24, 2020

Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Patrick Nip: Upon receipt of the assistance cases, we have been discussing with relevant departments and also public health experts to map out a feasible and safe plan to take Hong Kong people stranded in Hubei back to Hong Kong as early as possible. But we have to deal with it very carefully to keep the public health risk to a minimum. Also, we must have some conditions fulfilled before we start the operation, including, first of all, whether we have sufficient quarantine facilities. As you may recall, at the early stage, I think we lacked sufficient quarantine facilities. The situation is now slightly better and I think we have places to accommodate those returnees. Secondly, we have to take into account the epidemic situation on the Mainland as well as in Hong Kong. To transfer a group of people, from one place to another, involves a public health risk and we have to assess it very carefully. Thirdly, because all of the local transport is basically locked down, if we have to arrange transportation for Hong Kong people to the airport and then take the chartered flight back, we need the support and assistance of the Hubei provincial government and the local government. So we need to discuss with them about the detailed arrangements and also their readiness. Because we all know that at present, they are also facing a very serious epidemic situation and that they have been doing their very best and achieving progress. So all of these factor we have to take into account and in the meantime, we will discuss with the relevant departments and our experts to map out a plan. And now is the right time that we could take it forward and discuss with the Hubei provincial government on the detailed arrangements so that we could kickstart the operation of arranging chartered flights to take our Hong Kong people stranded in Hubei back to Hong Kong in batches.

(To watch the video with sign language interpretation, click here.)

The Government will arrange for chartered flights to bring back Hong Kong people stranded in Hubei Province in batches.

Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Patrick Nip made the announcement during a press briefing this evening, noting that the first batch of chartered flights will assist Hong Kong residents stranded in Wuhan to return home.

Mr Nip said about 450 Hong Kong people seeking assistance are in Wuhan, while some Hong Kong people in other parts of Hubei may have more urgent needs, such as pregnant women, those who suffer from serious illness and are urgently in need of surgery or other medical treatments in Hong Kong, or secondary school graduates who need to sit for the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination in Hong Kong.

“We have been discussing with relevant departments and also public health experts to map out a feasible and safe plan to bring Hong Kong people stranded in Hubei back to Hong Kong as early as possible. But we have to deal with it very carefully to keep the public health risk to a minimum.

“As you may recall, at the early stage, I think we lacked sufficient quarantine facilities. Our situation is now slightly better and I think we have places to accommodate those returnees.”

Mr Nip added that detailed arrangements needed to be discussed with the Hubei authorities before the operation could be implemented, as transferring a group of people from one place to another involves a public health risk which has to be carefully assessed.

“Because all of the local transport is basically locked down, if we have to arrange transportation for Hong Kong people to the airport and then take the chartered flight back, we need the support and assistance of the Hubei provincial government and the local government.

"So we need to discuss with them about the detailed arrangements and also their readiness. Because we all know that at present, they are also facing a very serious epidemic situation and that they have been doing their very best and achieving progress. So all of these factors we have to take into account. And in the meantime, we will discuss with the relevant departments and our experts to map out a plan.

"Now is the right time that we could take it forward and discuss with the Hubei provincial government on the detailed arrangements so that we could kick-start the operation of arranging chartered flights to take our Hong Kong people stranded in Hubei back to Hong Kong in batches.”