(To watch the full media session with sign language interpretation, click here.)

Chief Executive John Lee today put forward a proposal that enables citizens to fulfil the Mainland’s quarantine requirements locally in Hong Kong before crossing the boundary to the Mainland.

The plan, brought before an online meeting earlier today with leaders of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, allows travellers to first undergo quarantine in the city before they travel to the Mainland, by way of Shenzhen, in a closed loop.

At present, people entering the Mainland from Hong Kong are subject to seven days of collective quarantine followed by three days of self-monitoring at home, which is known as the “7+3” arrangement.

While addressing the media’s questions about the arrangement, Mr Lee said: “The main purpose is to, first of all, alleviate the burden of (quarantine) hotels in the Mainland and make use of the (quarantine) facilities in Hong Kong so that there will be more opportunities of allowing quarantine facilities for the wishful travellers.

“The second goal of this proposal is to ensure that we will have a system to allow a regular flow of people from Hong Kong into Shenzhen (after) fulfilling the “7+3” quarantine requirement.”

In addition to emphasising that the proposal is backed by his counterparts in the Mainland, Mr Lee noted that a task force will be set up between Hong Kong and Shenzhen to hammer out the implementation details.

At the virtual meeting, the leaders also discussed ways to boost collaboration and development in the Greater Bay Area, covering areas such as the Northern Metropolis, Nansha, innovation and technology, finance, commerce, dispute resolution and logistics.

Principal officials of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will take part in specific tasks forces to carry out the relevant work.