China's police welcome limits on mainland women giving birth in Hong Kong
26/1/2007 15:38
The mainland police authority yesterday welcomed new rules to limit
mainland women giving birth in Hong Kong and denied the central government had
ever encouraged the practice.
"Hong Kong has taken measures to protect the
region's limited medical resources. I think these measures will be helpful in
ensuring the health and safety of pregnant women," said Li Changyou, deputy
director of the Bureau of Exit and Entry Administration with the Ministry of
Public Security.
On Jan. 16, authorities in Hong Kong announced the rules to
limit the number of mainland women who are at least seven months pregnant from
entering Hong Kong unless they are booked into a local hospital.
The
regulations is expected to become effective on Feb. 1 and the number of women
allowed to enter will be regulated according to the region's medical
capacities.
"The current health care and medical resources on the mainland
are good enough to meet pregnant women's needs," Li said in Beijing.
The
border police would continue to carefully examine and deliberate on mainland
residents' applications to enter Hong Kong according to the Basic Law of Hong
Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) and the temporary regulation on
crossings between the mainland and Hong Kong and Macau special administrative
regions, Li said.
But he did not mention whether the police or other mainland
government departments would take any new measures to address the issue.
Many
pregnant mainland women are reported to be traveling to Hong Kong to take
advantage of the inexpensive but high-quality medical facilities, or try to
obtain citizenship rights for their children.
The influx of pregnant mainland
women has drawn fierce complaints from local expectant mothers, many of whom say
they have arrived at hospital on their due dates only to be refused admission
because of a shortage of beds, according to local media reports.
Xinhua
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