Macau To Stay In Line With Mainland Over Covid: CE

Macau Chief Executive Ho Iat-seng said on Tuesday the SAR won't adopt special schemes for quarantine-free travel, because its anti-Covid measures have to be in sync with those on the mainland.

He made the comment in the legislature when he was asked about the opening up of so-called "green lanes" for overseas travellers.

Ho said if the Macau government did this, the former Portuguese enclave wouldn't be able to keep its borders open to the mainland.

"We can't have a new arrangement where any travellers from overseas can come here without quarantine, because this doesn't match with the mainland's relevant systems. It will hinder us from opening our borders with the mainland," he told lawmakers.

The Macau CE also said officials are looking into integrating anti-epidemic measures with nearby Hengqin, so that both sides would share the burden if there's a Covid outbreak in either place.

He said his government has also been working with its mainland counterparts to increase the number of visitors to Macau to help revive its economy.

Ho also stressed that another phase of pandemic relief funding, worth 10 billion patacas, will be available to Macau residents only, and not non-local workers as some groups have called for.