Snowden case may hinder HK's no-visa status  

美稱斯諾登事件或影響香港爭取赴美免簽

據香港《明報》報道，美國中情局前雇員斯諾登事件引發的風波擴大，美國國務院發言人昨(26日)表示，香港處理斯諾登的做法可能會影響香港爭取納入美國免簽計劃。港府昨以高姿態回應美方，保安局長黎棟國指，至昨日美方仍未能回應有否入侵香港計算機網絡，對此感到非常失望。[查看全文]

(ECNS) -- Hong Kong's refusal to transfer Edward Snowden may hamper the progress of Hong Kong residents' application for visa-free access to the US, a spokesman for the State Department in Washington warned on Wednesday.

Asked about the effect of the Snowden case on Hong Kong's bid to join the visa waiver program, which allows 90-day visa-free access for business or tourism, spokesman Patrick Ventrell said there would be an impact "when we have a breakdown on cooperation on such a key issue."

The HKSAR government has long been lobbying countries and regions in the world, including the United States, to grant visa-free access to Hong Kong residents. Now it is hard to gauge when Washington will include Hong Kong into its visa-waiver program, according to an official at the Security Bureau.

Under current regulations, Hong Kong residents who want to travel to the United States must undergo an interview before being approved for travel.

"As Hong Kong is yet to be part of the visa-free program, the number of Hong Kong travelers to the US is not likely to drop sharply in the wake of the Snowden incident," said Joseph Tung Yao-chung, executive director of the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong, adding that the shrinking number of Hong Kong travelers to the US is mainly due to increased travel destination choices and the inconvenience caused by tighter security in the wake of 9/11.

He predicted that at least 20 percent more Hong Kong residents will travel to the US if granted visa-free access.

Lai Tung-Kwok, HKSAR Security Secretary, on Wednesday expressed disappointment that the US has not responded to an official demand for an explanation over computer hacking claims made by Snowden.