Quarantine-free travel between two of the world’s financial centres is now set in stone.
The long awaited Hong Kong and Singapore travel bubble will start on May 26.
Singapore’s Ministry of Transport (MOT) said that the travel bubble will have a cautious start.
There will be one flight a day from each city to begin with, and only 200 travellers per aircraft.
From June 10 it will increase to two flights a day.
In order to jump on a flight, travellers from Hong Kong must have had two doses of a coronavirus vaccine at least 14 days before they board.
The announcement also carries some rules for both sides, passengers can’t have visited any other places two weeks before departure.
Negative Covid-19 test results must also be collected within 72 hours of flying.
“I am happy that Hong Kong got the Covid-19 situation under control. It has been a long few months, but the conditions are now ripe again to relaunch the ATB (air travel bubble). Both sides will need to stay very vigilant in the next one month, so that we can launch the first flights smoothly.”
SINGAPORE Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung said
For those departing Singapore, passengers must install Hong Kong’s LeaveHomeSafe app on their mobile devices prior to leaving the city for Hong Kong.
The two countries have been working on the creation of a travel bubble for some time now – but Covid outbreaks have prevented an earlier start date.
“With gradual stabilisation of the fourth wave of epidemic in Hong Kong, we have been engaging in active discussion with Singapore on the relaunch of ATB” Hong Kong’s Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, said in a statement.
“The two governments have reached consensus on the latest arrangements and will put in place more stringent public health protocols in response to the latest epidemic development.
“Our goal remains striking a right balance between public health and travel convenience so that the public will feel assured while providing certainty.”
Singapore Airlines’ air travel bubble flight schedule to and from Hong Kong:
The Chinese property market is currently facing a crisis, with major developers like Evergrande and Country Garden experiencing significant financial challenges.
This alarming situation has garnered global attention due to its potential impact on the Chinese and international economies.
Evergrande, one of China’s largest property developers, has been struggling with a massive debt burden, exceeding $300 billion. This has raised concerns about the company’s ability to meet its financial obligations, causing a ripple effect across the property market. Country Garden, another prominent player in the industry, is also facing mounting debt pressures, further exacerbating the crisis.
The property market’s decline can be attributed to several factors, including government policies aimed at curbing excessive borrowing, a slowing economy, and a general shift towards more sustainable and affordable housing options.
These challenges have created uncertainty in the market, leading to a decrease in property sales and declining developer revenues.
The implications of this crisis extend beyond the property sector, with potential repercussions for the broader Chinese economy. #ticker today #featured
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will highlight the NATO alliance’s ongoing support for Ukraine in its war with Russia in Europe.
The war between Israel and Hamas and heightened tensions in the wider Middle East have raised concerns that Washington cannot sustain the level of military and diplomatic support it has given Ukraine since Russia’s February 2022 full-scale invasion.
Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O’Brien also told reporters that Blinken, who departed on Monday for Brussels, will highlight the ongoing commitment of the United States and its allies as he takes part in the first foreign minister-level meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council in Brussels.
“This is part of the process of finding a place in the alliance, which we’ve always said is Ukraine’s future,” he said. #featured