Tensions between Mainland shoppers and Hong Kongers boiled over a couple of weeks ago during an ugly scene at a rural Hong Kong shopping mall, when locals surrounded at shouted at Mainland visitors to “go back to China”. Hong Kongers claim parallel traders – people who buy goods in Hong Kong for resale in the Mainland – are impacting communities and making Hong Kong unrecognizable.

Now, it looks like the city’s chief executive is taking note.  CY Leung admitted that the rise in mainland tourism to Hong Kong is a burden to its residents, and he didn’t stop there. According to the official website of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong will soon enter discussions with the Central Government to further restrict personal travel by Mainlanders to Hong Kong.

The talks are scheduled to take place before the upcoming National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

Leung pointed out that the number of mainland visitors to Hong Kong during Spring festival fell by a modest 0.16 percent from the same time last year, while the number of visas issued and tourists remained the same.