Hong Kong shelves cross-border levy plan, marks second policy U-turn in a day

South China Morning PostEN 1 min read 100% complete by Harvey KongJanuary 30, 2026 at 03:24 PM

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Hong Kong's government has shelved a proposed levy on private cars crossing the border into mainland China, announced by Financial Services and the Treasury Secretary Christopher Hui Ching-yu on Friday. The decision, marking the second policy reversal of the day, comes after feedback from lawmakers and the public. The proposed boundary facility fee, included in the 2025-26 budget, aimed to generate HK$1 billion annually by charging HK$200 per private car departing via land border control points. This initiative was intended to address the city's HK$87.2 billion budget deficit, but has been abandoned after careful consideration of public and legislative concerns.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Legislative Council 60% China 70% Christopher Hui Ching-yu 80% Hong Kong ×290%

Keywords

cross-border levy 90% policy u-turn 80% hong kong 70% private cars 70% budget deficit 60% mainland china 60% boundary facility fee 50% financial services 40%