Hong?Kong's Secretary for Food and Health York Chow reiterated yesterday that the government's policy is to ensure local pregnant women have priority in using obstetric services.

Chow was responding to media enquiries on a protest staged by a group of Mainland-Hong Kong family representatives who gatecrashed a public event and clashed with security guards yesterday.

"On the issue of mainland pregnant women giving birth in Hong Kong, the government has in fact implemented a series of measures to cater for the demand of the parties concerned," said Chow.

"The limited capacity of Hong Kong's obstetric services should be used in an optimal way and our policy is to ensure that local pregnant women have priority in using the services."

The bureau has met with representatives of the concerned group several times before to listen to their views, Chow said.

"I hope all stakeholders will adopt a rational, peaceful and lawful manner when expressing their views on the issue of mainland pregnant women giving birth in Hong Kong," he said.

In recent years, a growing number of women from China's mainland have opted to give birth in Hong Kong as this entitles the children to Hong Kong citizenship and circumvents the mainland's family planning rules.

As a result, Hong Kong has introduced restriction, including reducing next year's quota of mainlanders allowed to give birth in Hong Kong as numbers have overwhelmed the local medical system, leading to complaints by Hong Kong pregnant women and pressure on hospitals and staff.