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Written by: Huang Yongyu
2020-08-04 16:14
Last update date: 2020-08-04 16:14The new crown pneumonia epidemic in Hong Kong continues, and the Guangdong Provincial Government on the Mainland has frequently tightened the entry requirements for cross-border trucks between China and Hong Kong. When a truck driver enters the Mainland, in addition to holding a valid nucleic acid test negative certificate within 72 hours, if there is a confirmed case in the building where the driver lives, he cannot enter the country on the 14th. However, some people in the transportation industry said that some drivers who only lived in the "affected area" were refused entry, and more than 100 drivers were "turned back" every day.
The Food Commission predicts that the supply of food ingredients imported from the Mainland in a short period of time is still stable. However, once the epidemic in Hong Kong continues, the relevant Mainland entry and exit regulations are not loosened, and food supply may be affected. Some vegetable wholesalers and chilled poultry and livestock retailers are worried that if the mainland strictly restricts drivers, they must go back and forth within 8 hours, which will affect the supply of chilled meat and vegetables.
▼In the third wave, the government has extended the restrictions on gatherings and banned food in the evening market.▼
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Drivers of "affected areas" are also urged by the immigration industry
According to the latest Mainland regulations, if there are confirmed cases in Hong Kong for truck drivers from China and Hong Kong in the past 14 days, their exemption from immigration quarantine will be temporarily cancelled until 14 days after the last confirmed case of the relevant building is announced. The driver must also upload a negative nucleic acid test result before entering the country.
However, Jiang Zhiwei, chairman of the Lok Ma Chau China-Hong Kong Freight Association, said that the driver reported recently that although the building he lived in had no confirmed cases, he was accused of living in "affected areas," including Tuen Mun and Sheung Shui, and was refused entry into the Mainland. Jiang Zhiwei said helplessly, "Yijia has more than 100 cases (diagnosed) every day, and there are cases in every district!" It is estimated that the number of drivers who are beaten back at the checkpoint every day is at least over 100. He believes that if mainland restrictions are not loosened, the situation will only get worse, and it will affect the supply of daily necessities and food ingredients.
Jiang Zhiwei, chairman of the Lok Ma Chau China-Hong Kong Freight Federation, said that at least a hundred drivers were beaten back every day. (Profile picture)
Food Commission: The supply will remain stable within ten days. The
Chairman of the Hong Kong Food Commission and Chairman of the Overseas Fruit and Vegetable Merchants Association, Wu Yongen, pointed out that he was aware that a driver was denied entry for 14 days because he lived in the epidemic building. "The inspection time will be added at least 16 days later. Drive to the car first, if it keeps happening, the car will become less and less." Although the mainland has tightened the restrictions on the entry of trucks from China and Hong Kong, it has not yet affected the supply of imported food in Hong Kong. It is expected that the supply will remain stable in the next 10 days. He said that Hong Kong's non-staple foods such as fruits, vegetables, chilled chicken, and cattle are all transported at the Man Kam To port. However, if the epidemic in Hong Kong continues and the mainland refuses to loosen the restrictions, it may affect the supply. The Chamber of Commerce has reported to members of the Legislative Council. And the authorities reflect their opinions.
The tightening of entry requirements for Chinese and Hong Kong drivers in the Mainland raises concerns about whether it will affect the supply of vegetables. (Profile picture)
If the return time is strictly limited to 8 hours, there is a chance that the supply will be affected.
On the other hand, the mainland has recently launched "new tricks", including requiring cross-border drivers to travel within 8 hours, but it has not been strictly enforced. Yuan Chang, president of the Imported Vegetable Wholesale Merchants Association, said that the industry can still maintain 200 daily trains. There is no impact on the supply, but sometimes the goods arrive 2 to 3 hours late. Yuan Xu pointed out that if the mainland strictly enforces that trucks between China and Hong Kong must go back and forth within 8 hours, the delivery time will be "barely" and there will be a chance to reduce the supply of vegetables. As for the supply of live pigs, Xu Weijian, chairman of the Hong Kong Pork Chamber of Commerce, said that the supply is stable and the journey from Shenzhen to Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse takes only 30 to 40 minutes, and there is no delay due to the new regulations.
As for chilled chicken, Huang Weiquan, president of the Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Territories chilled poultry and livestock retailers association, said that half of the chilled chicken supplied to Hong Kong in the past was supplied to restaurants and half to retail outlets, mainly from Guangdong Province. Under the Hong Kong government's order to ban evening dine-in meals, the demand for restaurants, especially restaurants, has dropped drastically, and wholesalers’ business has dropped by 20 to 30%. He pointed out that for the time being, there has been no reduction in supply due to tightening of China-Hong Kong driver round-trip regulations. However, if the return time is strictly limited to 8 hours, transportation will be "very difficult and the impact will be great," and the supply will inevitably decrease.
Guangdong Province recently issued a notice requiring cross-border China-Hong Kong trucks to install satellite positioning devices that can collect traffic data before Friday (7th). (Profile picture)
GPS must be installed before Friday, transport industry expects more drivers to be disqualified
Chen Dishou, chairman of the Container Transport Workers’ Union, also pointed out that the union had received a driver's help, stating that there were no confirmed cases in the residential building, but the mainland refused to enter. "Maybe (the confirmed case) is a neighboring building or an isolated village. Refusal of entry." He said that he has reported the problem to the Mainland Port Office, but has not received a reply so far. He pointed out that there were 12,000 Chinese and Hong Kong drivers in the past, but only 7,000 to 8,000 people are still working. It is expected that after the implementation of the regulations that China and Hong Kong trucks must be equipped with a satellite positioning system (GPS), more drivers will be inconsistent. qualifications.
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