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Hong Kong mulls restrictions on Chinese tourists


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HONG KONG (AFP) - Hong Kong's leader said on Tuesday that the government is looking to restrict the number of Chinese tourists entering the city, following a public backlash over the influx of mainland visitors.

The announcement came after a leading travel body said official figures showed the volume of mainland visitors over the Lunar New Year period fell for the first time in almost 20 years - attributing the trend to the frosty reception they receive.

"We will continue to speak with Chinese authorities about whether or not there is space to tighten the (visitor) scheme to be able to control the natural trend of increasing mainland visitors in Hong Kong," the city's leader Leung Chun Ying said.

Leung said the growing number of Chinese visitors has "put pressure on the everyday life of Hong Kong residents".

Residents from 49 Chinese cities can currently apply for a multi-entry travel permit to visit Hong Kong.

Leung said that scheme would not be expanded and that he would raise the issue at the next meeting of the National People's Congress - China's parliament - at the beginning of March.

Hong Kongers have grown increasingly angry at the number of Chinese traders who travel to Hong Kong's border towns to stock up on everything from iPads to milk powder.

Protests against the traders have led to violent clashes over recent weekends, with police using pepper spray.

The semi-autonomous southern city of seven million people is also a favourite shopping destination for wealthy mainland visitors eager to stock up on Western luxury brands.

Mass democracy protests at the end of last year also showed building anti-China sentiment, with tens of thousands protesting against Beijing's restrictions on the vote for Hong Kong's next leader.

Negative sentiment has already led to a drop in visitors over the Chinese New Year according to Hong Kong's Travel Industry Council (TIC), which said it was the first decline in 20 years.

Numbers fell 1.09 per cent to 842,124 for a six-day period, compared to the same period last year, immigration department figures show.

"I think the string of protests is one reason... the news reports about these kinds of activities certainly upsets their mood for travelling to Hong Kong," TIC executive director Joseph Tung told AFP.

He called the drop "alarming" and said Chinese visitors were travelling to other destinations which were more welcoming.

But democratic lawmaker Kwok Ka Ki said further curbs were needed.

He said an increased number of mainland visitors had "severely hampered" the city's transpiration system and it was harder for people to shop for daily necessities as stores focused on the needs of mainland tourists.

"If Hong Kong is unable to accommodate the requests or to change the policy a bit to alleviate the grievances, this could easily turn into more violent incidents like in the past few weeks," Kwok said.

- See more at: http://www.straitstimes.com/news/asia/east-asia/story/hong-kong-mulls-restrictions-chinese-tourists-following-public-backlash-20#xtor=CS1-10

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and say no to money?

Chee seen ah!

 

It is a matter of how much money. Right now, HKers feel the money from the mainlanders doesn't flow into their pockets. To rectify that, the govt should have a high cost for the entry visa (USD500 each??) and give the money back to the people as CNY hong bao.

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It is a matter of how much money. Right now, HKers feel the money from the mainlanders doesn't flow into their pockets. To rectify that, the govt should have a high cost for the entry visa (USD500 each??) and give the money back to the people as CNY hong bao.

Govt should give us money from work permit also [grin]

 

Account tio hack? [sly][laugh] [laugh]

Admin manager fault [grin]

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When did BB developed an interest in this type of issues? [laugh] [laugh]

 

She could be PRC PR staying in SG.

 

Now cannot go HK for luxury shopping.

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She could be PRC PR staying in SG.

 

Now cannot go HK for luxury shopping.

Buy Amazon buy taobao lor

HK got what special to buy at lower price

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It is a matter of how much money. Right now, HKers feel the money from the mainlanders doesn't flow into their pockets. To rectify that, the govt should have a high cost for the entry visa (USD500 each??) and give the money back to the people as CNY hong bao.

can charge the tourist by per entry basis......going in HK will be HK$50.....go back China HK$20....can call it Entry and Exit toll charges. Best is put up ERP gantry.....just like our rds. But usually this kind if revenue collection wont have the trickle down effect to the masses......just like our system!
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Buy Amazon buy taobao lor

HK got what special to buy at lower price

 

Milk powder and gold.

 

Its not cheaper in Hong Kong,

 

its the real thing in Hong Kong.

 

If buy in China you get poison and lead.

 

:D

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They have taken it to the next level. They not only buy luxury items or milk powder in bulk, they are practically buying groceries, daily items in bulk. Using everything from outside mainland seem to be winning them bragging rights on Weibo. Some items are not even popular outside, its an obsession.

 

 

Later johor follow then and restrict Singaporean to go in.

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The number of PRC visitors to HK is alarming. In 2013 alone, there were 40.7 million mainland visitors! That accounts for 75% of all visitors. The strain on public infrastructure is unimaginable. Do you know what they buy? From milk powder to shampoo to yakult to mineral water to houses, they buy up everything! The livelihood of ordinary citizens is greatly affected.

 

Take the MTR and you will see loads of them with big luggage. That take up a lot of space on the already crowded train system.

 

It is not very healthy in the long run and people's grievances is high. There must be some sort of curb.

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HIGHLIGHTS-Hong Kong budget for fiscal 2015/16
Reuters
HONG KONG, Feb 25 (Reuters) - The following are highlights of Hong Kong's budget for the 2015/16 fiscal year starting in April, being presented Financial Secretary John Tsang.
ECONOMY
* 2014 GDP up 2.3 pct year-on-year 1/8ID:nH9N0VC007)
* Forecasts 2015 GDP growth 1-3 percent
* Expects 2015 headline inflation at 3.5 percent
* Forecasts 2015 underlying inflation at 3 percent
* 2014 Q4 GDP up 2.2 percent year-on-year
* 2104 Q4 GDP up 0.4 percent quarter-on-quarter
* "Our economy grew by only 2.3 per cent last year, the third consecutive year with a growth rate lower than the annual average of 3.9 per cent over the past decade," Tsang said.
SUPPORT MEASURES
* Waive licence fees for 1,800 travel agents and 2,000 hotels and guesthouses for six months
* Waive licence fees for restaurants and hawkers for six months, benefiting 26,000 restaurants and operators
* Support measures and promotion efforts, costing HK$290 million, help rebuild confidence in Hong Kong
Inject HK$1.5 billion into the SME Export Marketing and Development Funds, helping 320,000 small and medium enterprises in the city
RELIEF MEASURES
* Says to reduce profit tax for 2014-15 by 75 percent subject to HK$20,000 ceiling, benefiting 130,000 taxpayers and reducing government revenue by HK$1.9 billion
* Reduce salaries tax and tax under personal assessment for 2014-15 by 75 percent subject to ceiling of HK$20,000, benefiting 1.82 million taxpayers and costing government HK$15.8 billion by revenue
* Waive rates for the first two quarters of 2015-16, subject to a ceiling of HK$2,500 per quarter for each rateable property, reducing government revenue by HK$7.7 billion
* Provide an extra old age and disability allowance amounting to HK$5.5 billion
* Increase the basic and additional child allowances from HK$70,000 to HK$100,000 from 2015-16 onwards.

 

 

 

HK budget always come after Singapore, some areas are quite similar.

 

 

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Johor already complained many times about Singaporeans. Why do you think they have already banned sale of necessity items like rice and oil to Singaporeans ? Whether they enforce or not, is another question.

 

 

 

MIW will hope they ban people going in.... then our $$$ stay with us... [rolleyes] ... then we impose full tank rule..... local going to bolehland must have full tank.... foreigner vehicle leaving SIN also full tank and must have a shopping bag worth at least S$1000 of stuff, else tio under-consumption tax.... [laugh]

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To solve this problem is very easy lah.

 

HK don't welcome them, just send them to JB.

 

The China developers will welcome them

 

with open arms to buy their high end condos

 

in the ulu places in Johore.

 

:D

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When I went to Jeju, even the islanders

 

wer complaining too many China people

 

buying condos on their island. They also

 

buy the shops and restaurants and never

 

give any business to the koreans shops

 

and restaurants. So what benefit do they

 

get from allowing in the mainlanders?

 

:D

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