Agent jailed for helping pregnant women give birth in Hong Kong

Feb 14, 2012, 6:10 GMT

Hong Kong - A woman was jailed for 10 months for helping so-called maternity tourists from mainland China cross the border to give birth in Hong Kong, the government said Tuesday.

Xu Li, 29, is the first person to be prosecuted by the immigration department in a drive to curb the number of women from mainland China coming to Hong Kong to give birth.

Xu, from Hubei on the mainland, helped clients book pre-natal check-ups, delivery services and hostels so they could deliver in the wealthy former British colony.

She was sentenced Monday after pleading guilty to one charge of visa violation and another of making false statements.

The immigration department said the latter charge related to a case in January when Xu accompanied a pregnant woman across the border and then immediately demanded an ambulance to take her to hospital for an emergency delivery.

The woman had not made an advance booking for a hospital bed, as is required for mainland women to give birth in Hong Kong.

The number of mainland women giving birth in Hong Kong has increased rapidly since cross-border travel restrictions were substantially eased in 2003. They now account for about 45 per cent of all births in the city.

The influx has put a strain on health services prompting the government to impose quotas and charge high fees to non residents.

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