Press Releases
SFH on Mainland women giving birth in Hong Kong
Following is a transcript of remarks (English portion) by the Secretary for
Food and Health, Dr York Chow, at a media session at the lobby of West Wing,
Central Government Offices, Tamar, this afternoon (April 17):
Reporter: Does the Government agree or disagree with Chief Executive-elect C
Y Leung's saying that the delivery quota for both Mainland parents should be
abolished? Is C Y slapping the face of the current Government?
Secretary for Food and Health: Not really because this issue would cross
over two terms of Government. You know that we are determining the quota for
2013. Because of the time of pregnancy, we need to make certain decisions
early this year, in the second quarter. In the last two weeks, we have been
communicating with the Chief Executive-elect and told him what our approach
would be. Of course, he has his own assessment that perhaps without knowing
the details of the impact of these babies born from both Mainland parents on
Hong Kong's social welfare, education and medical services, he is reluctant
to decide the specific (delivery) quota for this type of baby. We should
give him some time to assess the situation and decide whether he would allow
(delivery) quota at all in the year 2013. Since there are still six months
between the start of the next term of Government (July 1, 2012) and January
2013, there is plenty of time for the next term of Government to make
decisions and announce them before the coming of January 2013.
Reporter: Do you think the quota should be abolished?
Secretary for Food and Health: According to the Chief Executive-elect, he
cannot decide on the (delivery) quota prior to a full assessment of the
situation. In a sense, we have to give time to the next term of Government
to make their own assessment. We do not like to announce preemptively the
quota if that is something the next term of Government intends to do.
Reporter: How about the current talk with the private hospitals?
Secretary for Food and Health: We have been talking continuously with the
private hospitals and shall be continued with that. As I said earlier on, we
are sympathetic towards those Mainland mothers who are married to Hong Kong
men because eventually their children might become Hong Kong citizens. We
shall give priority to them to deliver their babies in Hong Kong.
(Please also refer to the
Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Issued at HKT 19:56
NNNN