Dear Shirley,
 
Thank you for the chat at the Club yesterday.  It was great to talk face to face, although behind masks, rather than on the iPhone.  I understand your concerns over the future of Hong Kong, and also, your hesitation in taking the Hong Kong wide Covid 19 test because you can take care of yourself.
 
I am going to take the test, because Hong Kong’s future also depends on this city’s quick recovery from this pandemic and restarting our economy.  Schools, shops, restaurants and cross border traffic must find the way back to normalcy as soon as possible, or else by the end of the year, there will be little cheer for Christmas.
 
In July the third wave of the pandemic hit Hong Kong and the number of confirmed cases increased by 1,852, that is by 140% from the first six months total of the year. In the last few days new confirmed cases is still over 20 per day and the total is now 4755.  Hong Kong Government and their experts make it clear that the situation is still not under control because the origins of 40% of the July cases cannot be traced.  And the Legislative Council election has to be deferred for one year.
 
It is internationally recognized that early detection, isolation and treatment are the 3 vital steps in the fight against Covid 19, and the Hong Kong Government invited the Central Government to help us to conduct a Universal Community Test Programme for whoever wishes to take it.
 
Large scale testing to find out the hidden source of infection is a must and the three vital steps have to be taken to achieve results.  Our neighbours Macao and Guangdong have mutually recognized each other’s health codes which would allow the owner to travel freely back and forth for 7 days, and Macao is on course to welcome visitors from all parts of the Mainland.  There are reports that the shops in Hainan Island are full of customers, especially for luxury goods.
 
In contrast, our retail, hospitality and catering services are taking a heavy toll from this pandemic.  From February to June, the job loss rate rose to 10.7% -- the highest in the last 15 years.  So Hong Kong must quickly find our way to be included in this Mainland Travel arrangement or else our business and services sectors will wither in the winter.  Recent headlines around the world pinpoint Hong Kong as the source of the latest development in Covid 19 – it can strike the same victim a second time within weeks of recovery.  This underscores a growing view around the world that Covid 19 is here to stay.  So we must practise early detection and isolation measures, and minimize the risks.
 
Shirley, as to the future of Hong Kong, we have witnessed China’s efforts to bolster Hong Kong’s well-being i.e. by letting tourists to visit Hong Kong after SARS in 2003, starting CEPA arrangements from 2004 to open the Mainland market to Hong Kong business and professional services. Hong Kong’s economy grew by 48% from 2004-2011. Then in 2016 we had the 13th Five Year Plan followed by the Big Bay Area Development and the Belt and Road Initiative which gives Hong Kong a pivotal role as a financial centre.  Hong Kong’s economy grew by 48 per cent from 2004 to 2011.  We have now the High Speed Rail and the Hong Kong to Zhuhai Bridge to link up with the Mainland faster than ever.  And China is now stable and fast gearing up her economy.
 
So Shirley, Hong Kong’s future is that we will continue to play our role as a designated international trade and finance centre of China.
 
However we must first keep the pandemic under control just like on the Mainland, and we have to make real efforts.  Take the example of what happened in Shenzhen in Mid August.  A supermarket employee was infected with Covid 19.  In 96 hours over 300,000 persons in Shenzhen were targeted and tested and the infection contained, over 1,400 medical workers and 3,000 supporting personnel were mobilized and, what’s most important, the residents queued up patiently to take the test which some here have criticized, saying that our Test Programme comes a bit late and we have missed the best time to curb the spread into the community.  But this is no reason to give up the battle.  Covid 19 today threatens to derail all good intentions and wipe out our gains.  Get overall control of this pandemic and we can move back on track to recovering our status as a logistic hub, a tourist attraction, an education centre, as well as a financial centre.
 
Cooperation from our own people is the key to success in this Test Programme.  Remember many cities in the world are hoping their governments would provide such test for health protection.  We in Hong Kong, must seize this opportunity and none of us should be complacent.  Confirmed cases per day easily bounce back; and we cannot close our shops, schools and our borders for too long.
 
In our test Programme there are more than 100 testing sites all over the city, manned by several thousand trained medical professionals, doctors, dentists and nurses.  This is a joint effort to restart Hong Kong.  So if we get tested we will have the result in a couple of days. And we shall return to normalcy well before Christmas. Businessmen, professionals, students, holiday-makers, tourists will all be criss-crossing the border.  Our towns and businesses along the entire border will come to life again.  So everyone of us should walk that extra mile to take the test and put the buzz back in our city.
 
Shirley I shall be very happy to go with you to take the test. This is for Hong Kong.  Just let me know the date.
 
Yours sincerely,
Maria