The stork is not welcome over Hong Kong anymore. Beginning next month, pregnant women in their third trimester coming from Mainland China will not be allowed to enter unless they have a scheduled appointment at a hospital in the country.
The move was made after statistics showed an almost doubling in the rates of deliveries of Mainland Chinese women in Hong Kong. This was from 10,128 in 2003 to 19,538 in 2005.Hong Kong is favored when it comes to delivering babies due to:escape from China’s one-child norm, granting of Hong Kong residency permits, better infrastructure and medical facilities and the overall prosperity of the country, much attractive to would-be immigrants.
The tiny island once a British colony,is now part of China, but still has autonomous immigration rules.
There are also additional measures like doubling of the fees for all Chinese mothers who deliver babies in Hong Kong hospitals.
There will be placement of medical staff at borders to check for prospective pregnant women and to ascertain those near their due date.
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ANN
