20,000 travel permits issued to Hong Kong permanent residents in past 3 months

Central authorities have issued about 20,000 new multi-entry travel permits to Hong Kong permanent residents with foreign passports heading to mainland China in the past three months, while about 33,000 applicants are still awaiting approval.

Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung cited the figures from the country’s Exit and Entry Administration and also told the Legislative Council on Wednesday that holders of the new permits made 53,000 entries and exits from the mainland between July and mid-October.

In a written reply to an inquiry by lawmakers, Tang said that about 55,000 non-Chinese Hong Kong permanent residents had made appointments to apply for the new card-type permits in the three months since July 10, and about 20,000 new card-type documents had been issued.

The minister said the earliest applicants had “greatly welcomed” the new measure, which substantially shortened border clearance times and satisfied permit holders’ need to travel frequently to the mainland for business, academic and cultural purposes.

“Some of them also said that the measure had given them a stronger sense of identity and facilitated their greater participation in the development of the Greater Bay Area,” said Tang, referring to Beijing’s plan to integrate Hong Kong and Macau with nine mainland cities into an economic powerhouse.

The inquiry was filed by lawmaker Kennedy Wong Ying-ho, who pointed out that new permit holders were still unable to open bank accounts, apply for mobile SIM cards or purchase railway tickets on the mainland – perks that were available to those with Chinese citizen travel permits.