李家超政府9月1日與廣東省和深圳市政府高層網上會議，包括港方提出的「逆向隔離」安排，對香港與內地關係具有重要的社會經濟和政治意義。
行政長官李家超率領港府高級官員，包括政務司司長陳國基、財政司司長陳茂波、保安局局長鄧炳強、醫務衞生局局長盧寵茂等，與粵、深兩地高層進行商談，包括廣東省省長王偉中、深圳市委書記孟凡利、廣州市委書記林克慶、深圳市市長覃偉中、廣州市市長郭永航等。
雙方討論了多項議題，涵蓋了從粵港合作、穗港合作、深港合作到港府提出的「逆向隔離」安排。廣東省和深圳市原則上同意這個安排，並成立「專班」商討細節。這些專班將由陳國基、鄧炳強和盧寵茂帶領，而深圳方面將由深圳市領導帶領。
冀符合內地「7+3」防疫要求
李家超9月2日透露，「逆向隔離」的安排，是希望那些在香港自我隔離的人能達到內地「7+3」的要求，也就是說他們進入內地後就不用隔離了，尤其是內地酒店住宿不足以容納大量從香港進入內地的旅客。對於那些想在內地探親的香港人來說，黑市提供酒店住宿的問題已出現。
港府擬利用河套區隔離設施作為試點，至於具體配額、邊境檢查站和交通細節將需要通過討論來規定。雙方的「專班」還需要就邊境管制要求、檢測結果標準、還有閉環方式進入深圳、申請案件的備案和審批程序等問題進行討論。所有這些都是需要深入討論的技術細節。
李家超表示，廣東和深圳在第5波疫情中為香港帶來極大的利益，向香港派遣醫務人員，提供後勤物資，並在雙方共同利益的基礎上達成共識。
雙方還準備討論逆向隔離所需的費用，且此類收費將「公平合理」。 2021年，港府利用竹篙灣隔離感染新冠病毒的患者時，每位患者在隔離區每晚需支付480港元，包括1日3餐。
據悉，逆向隔離的配額一開始「不會太多」。
港深合作設19個「專班」處理
除了逆向檢疫，香港與粵深雙方還就多項合作問題進行了討論，特別是如何通過成立13個「專班」，不僅應對逆向檢疫，還應對深化粵港合作、北部都會區發展、南沙發展規劃、創新科技、貨幣金融發展、商貿、香港青年實習、法律仲裁、航空及物流供應。南沙將成為大灣區重點合作區域。
在港深合作方面，將設立19個專班，分別處理創新科技、貨幣金融發展、貿易與商業、青年就業、前海與香港的關係。
雙方一致認為，港府將繼續支持前海繼續發揮先行先試功能，也會促進港深兩地基建、制度等軟硬件的聯通，把握前海現代服務業樞紐帶所帶來的機遇。看來香港在經濟上對前海的現代化仍然有作用。
最後，在推進金融開放創新方面，港府和深圳市前海管理局短期內會聯合發布18項新措施，便利香港創投和私募基金跨境業務發展。
突破框框體現一國兩制成功
港府提出逆向隔離的安排，在以下幾個方面具有重要意義：
首先，雖然香港的新冠肺炎病例一直在增加，但醫學專家表示，重症病例和死亡率一直在下降──這意味着病毒正在減弱。然而，內地採取的「動態清零」政策，對跨境人流是障礙。在世界其他地區已經開通空中交通的時候，香港卻落後於世界標準。事實上，不少外商已經悄悄離開香港。因此，香港最近放寬了來自世界其他地區的空中交通，一直在挽救其作為國際城市的地位。如果北京真的熱衷於維持香港的國際金融和貨幣中心地位，就需要與內地進一步開放。
其次，內地對「動態清零」政策非常謹慎，廣東和深圳大膽地率先對香港開放，發揮了先導作用──或許為內地其他城市樹立了榜樣。澳門最近一度禁止市民出街的嚴格措施確實損害了經濟，儘管隨着澳門和珠海之間的跨境人員交流剛剛恢復，該嚴厲措施似乎奏效了。儘管如此，2020年初內地的慘痛經歷，尤其是在武漢，一直困擾着一些省市。新聞報道指出，內地領導層就實用主義應否壓倒「動態清零」的意識形態進行了辯論。如果廣東和深圳要開放一些，得益於香港的逐步自由化，那麼在內地的務實主義必須壓倒意識形態，尤其是在內地的一些企業受到嚴厲的疫情防控政策嚴重影響的情況下。
第三，逆向隔離安排是一種創新突破，可以體現一國兩制的成功。這個政策肯定比內地更大膽。然而，在新冠病毒似乎在世界範圍內逐漸消失的情況下，內地中央衛生和政治當局是否會允許廣東和深圳率先大膽嘗試，然後其他城市會效法，還有待觀察。
第四，港、粵、深三方擬成立的各個專班，對有計劃加快推進大灣區經濟社會融合進程具有重要意義。這種設立各種專班的模式，有利於澳門融入橫琴。澳門也可以從香港的逆向隔離安排中學習，特別是在 2020 年新冠病毒疫情爆發和持續存在之後，許多澳門人一直在遭受失業和收入下降的困擾。
客觀地說，港府提出的逆向隔離安排是實行一國兩制具有一定程度創新性突破的示範，而挑戰在於廣東、深圳和香港方面如何在許多技術細節上達成共識，這些細節在全球和地區內可能有望進入疫情的最後階段時必須解決。香港在處理外來航空交通方面採取的嚴密措施，極大地影響了其國際地位，因為許多本地人和外國人已經離開香港。如果中國內地衛生當局意識到非常嚴格的疫情防控政策的巨大經濟成本，他們將不得不更加務實、更加大膽地處理其與香港、澳門和外部世界的邊境開放問題。在新冠病毒出現比以往任何時候都減弱的跡象之際，香港仍然可以用作向外部旅客和遊客打開中國內地大門的門戶。
Hong Kong’s idea of reverse quarantine and its socio-politico-economic implications
The online meeting between the top officials of the John Lee administration and the Guangdong and Shenzhen authorities on September 1, including the proposed “reverse quarantine” idea from the Hong Kong side, has important socio-economic and political implications for Hong Kong and its relations with the mainland.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee led his officials, including Chief Secretary Eric Chan, Financial Secretary Paul Chan, Secretary for Security Chris Tang and Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau to discuss with the high-level counterparts from the Guangdong and Shenzhen sides, which embraced Guangdong provincial Governor Wang Weizhong, Shenzhen city’s party secretary Meng Fanli, Guangzhou city’s party secretary Lin Keqing, Shenzhen city’s mayor Qin Weizhong, and Guangzhou city’s mayor Guo Yonghang.
Both sides discussed a variety of issues, ranging from Guangdong-Hong Kong to Guangzhou –Hong Kong cooperation, and from Shenzhen-Hong Kong cooperation to an idea of “reverse quarantine” proposed by the Hong Kong government. Guangdong and Shenzhen accepted this idea, with all sides setting up specialized groups to discuss the details. The groups will be led by Eric Chan, Chris Tang and Lo Chung-mau, while the Shenzhen side will be led by the Shenzhen city’s leadership.
On September 2, John Lee revealed that the idea of reverse quarantine is to hope that those people who isolate themselves in Hong Kong would meet the so-called 7 plus 3 requirement, meaning that when they enter the mainland, they will not have to quarantine themselves for 7 plus 3 days, especially as the hotel accommodation in the mainland is insufficient for a large number of people entering the mainland from Hong Kong. A black market of finding hotel accommodation has emerged for those Hong Kong people who want to visit their relatives in the mainland.
The Hong Kong government intends to set up pilot points at the Hetao or Lok Man Chau Loop area. However, the exact quota, the border checkpoints and the transportation details will need to be delineated through discussions. The working groups from both sides will also need to discuss issues like the requirements of border control, the standards of testing results, the so-called closed-circuit operation, and the procedures of recording and approving cases of applications. All these are technical details that will require intensive discussions.
John Lee said that Guangdong and Shenzhen have been helping Hong Kong tremendously in the outbreak of the fifth wave of Covid-19, sending medical staff members to the Hong Kong special administrative region, providing logistical supplies, and reaching consensus based on achieving mutual interests actively.
Both sides also prepare to discuss the fees required for reverse quarantine, but such charges will be “reasonable and fair.” In 2021, when the Hong Kong government used Penny Bay to quarantine Covid-infected patients, each patient had to pay for HK$480 for every night he or she stays in the quarantine unit, including three meals per day.
It was reported that the number of quotas for reverse quarantine will “not be much” at the beginning.
Apart from reverse quarantine, the Hong Kong and Guangdong/Shenzhen sides also deliberated on a multiplicity of cooperative issues, notably how to deepen collaboration between Guangdong and Hong Kong by setting up 13 specialized groups to deal with not only reverse quarantine, but also the Northern Metropolis development, the Nansha developmental plan, innovation and technology, monetary and financial development, trade and business, internship provided for the Hong Kong youth, legal arbitration, aviation and logistical supplies. Nansha is going to be a key area of cooperation in the Greater Bay Area.
Regarding the cooperation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, nineteen groups will be set up to deal with innovation and technology, monetary and financial development, trade and commerce, youth employment, and Qianhai’s relations with Hong Kong.
Both sides came to a consensus that the Hong Kong government continues to support Qianhai to develop the function of experimentation first, followed by more concrete policies in the areas of infrastructure projects and software provision. The idea is to expand the service industry in Qianhai. It looks as if Hong Kong remains economically useful to Qianhai’s modernization.
Finally, in the areas of opening the monetary and financial market, the Hong Kong government and the Shenzhen Qianhai Management Authority will issue eighteen new directives to facilitate Hong Kong’s investment funds crossing the border to operate in Qianhai.
The idea of proposing reverse quarantine is significant in several aspects.
First, although the Covid cases in Hong Kong have been increasing, medical experts have remarked that the serious cases and death rate have been going down – an implication that the virus is getting weaker. However, the “dynamic zero-Covid policy” adopted in the mainland is an obstacle to cross-border human traffic. At a time when other parts of the world have already opened their air traffic, Hong Kong is lagging behind the world’s standard. In fact, many foreign businesspeople have already left Hong Kong quietly. As such, Hong Kong’s recent relaxation of air traffic from other parts of the world has been rescuing its status as an “international” city. A further opening-up process with the mainland will be necessary if Beijing is really keen to maintain Hong Kong’s international financial and monetary status.
Second, the mainland is very cautious in its dynamic zero-Covid policy, but Guangdong and Shenzhen are playing a precursor role in being bolder to open up to Hong Kong first – perhaps setting up a model for other cities in the mainland. Macau’s recent tight measure of barring citizens from going out the streets for two weeks did hurt the economy, although the tough measure appeared to work well as cross-border human interactions between Macau and Zhuhai have just returned. Still, the mainland’s bitter experiences in early 2020, especially in Wuhan, have been haunting some provinces and cities. News reports indicated that the mainland leadership had a debate over whether pragmatism should prevail over the ideology of dynamic zero-Covid policy. If Guangdong and Shenzhen are going to open a bit, thanks to Hong Kong’s gradual liberalization, then pragmatism must prevail over ideology in the mainland, especially if some businesses in the mainland have been badly affected by the stringent anti-Covid policy.
Third, the reverse quarantine idea is an innovative breakthrough that can demonstrate the success of “one country, two systems.” This policy is surely bolder than the mainland. Yet, it remains to be seen whether the central health and political authorities in the mainland will allow Guangdong and Shenzhen to move boldly first as an experiment before other cities will follow suit at a time when Covid-19 appears to fade away gradually in the world.
Fourth, the various groups to be set up by the Hong Kong, Guangdong and Shenzhen sides are important for a planned accelerated process of socio-economic integration in the Greater Bay Area. This model of setting up various working groups is a good one for Macau’s integration into Hengqin. Macau may also learn from Hong Kong’s reverse quarantine policy, especially if many Macau people have been suffering from job loss and income decline after the outbreak and persistence of Covid-19 in 2020.
Objectively speaking, the reverse quarantine idea proposed by the Hong Kong government is a demonstration of the viability of the “one country, two systems” with a certain degree of innovative breakthrough. The challenge is how the Guangdong/Shenzhen and Hong Kong sides will reach consensus on many technical details which will have to be solved at a time when the world and the region are entering perhaps and hopefully the last stage of Covid-19. The tight measures adopted by Hong Kong in dealing with air traffic from outside affected its international status tremendously, because many local people and foreigners have already migrated out of the special administrative region. If the mainland Chinese health authorities realize the tremendous economic costs of a very tight anti-Covid policy, they will have to be more pragmatic and much bolder in dealing with its border opening with Hong Kong, Macau and the outside world. Hong Kong can still be used as a gateway to open the mainland’s door to the outside travelers and visitors at a time when Covid-19 is showing signs of weakening than ever before.
原刊於澳門新聞通訊社（MNA）網站，本社獲作者授權轉載。
