8:30am-9:15am: reopening the border

8:30am-9:15am: Yang Lin, Associate Professor, School of Nursing, PolyU

8:30am-9:15am: John Ap, Visiting professor and Director of Global Centre for Tourism, Education and Training, Macau Institute for Tourism Studies

9:00am-9:15am: Howie Wong, Vice-chairman, Hong Kong Federation of Restau-rants & Related Trades Limited

9:15am-9:30am: biodiversity in South Lantau

9:15am-9:30am: Andrew Chan, Senior Conservation Officer for Policy, WWF-Hong Kong

On Wednesday's Backchat: Prospects for reopening the border; and wildlife habitat loss on Lantau.
Chief Secretary John Lee said Hong Kong must strengthen coronavirus controls in areas such as testing and quarantine before the border with mainland China can reopen.
Speaking after a meeting with mainland officials in Shenzhen over the weekend, Mr Lee said priority areas would be screening requirements for inbound travellers, the quarantine system and the territory's overall approach to risk.  He said improvements would allow for further talks, but there was no word on a timetable for opening the border.
Meanwhile, most social distancing rules will remain in place, including a four-person public gathering limit, although restrictions on banquets will be eased further.
And in Macau authorities have been conducting citywide testing after two security guards working in a quarantine hotel were confirmed with the virus.
After 9:15am, we’re joined by the WWF to discuss threats to biodiversity in South Lantau.