A file photo shows that travelers pass through a land port connecting Hong Kong and Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province. Photo: IC

Hong Kong government's coordination group for border-opening with the mainland held its first meeting on Sunday, after the city's Chief Executive John Lee said on Saturday that Hong Kong is to reopen its border with the mainland by mid-January. Meanwhile, the city's business group called the opening"the biggest Christmas gift,"believing it will help the small businesses of the city.

The coordination group, including Hong Kong's Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu, and Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs in Hong Kong, held the meeting on Sunday, Hong Kong media Wen Wei Po reported.

Members from this group are set to discuss details with the National Health Commission, as well as the local government of Guangdong Province and the city of Shenzhen. The plan of reopening the border will also be submitted to the central government for approval, said the newspaper.

Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee said on Saturday after returning from Beijing that the city is to reopen its border with the mainland by mid-January. 

"The central government has agreed to the gradual full reopening of the border" he told reporters upon arrival at the airport, adding that a coordination group was established to communicate with mainland authorities on the issue.

Sam Lo, head of the Hong Kong Commerce and Industry Association, told the Global Times on Sunday that Hong Kong's small and medium sized business have suffered a heavy blow for the past three years due to the pandemic, especially when some business were forced to suspend service. Even when businessmen were fortunate enough to be able to come in the mainland, they needed to endure a quarantine period.

"I believe for small and medium sized business in Hong Kong, 2023 is a year to restart," said Lo. He believes that tourism, hotel and catering business will be among the first to recover. Lo said that the retail and commercial industry will witness at least a 50 percent growth. 

Plus, the sleepy global economy has made small businesses in Hong Kong more eager to seek opportunities from the mainland, according to Lo.

Currently, global financial environment is still subject to influences such as the Russia-Ukraine crisis. If the mainland market can be reopened, some businesses will turn to mainland for chances, and this will stimulate Hong Kong's GDP growth, Lo said.