Chinese vice president visits HK residents
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-09-11 20:01

Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong paid visits to families of local citizens and elders in a senior citizen residence in Hong Kong on Sunday.

Zeng, accompanied by Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang, visited a local residence at the Tak Bo Garden in Kowloon district on Sunday morning.

When So Bing-nam, a father of two, told Zeng that his family lives a harmonious and happy life, the vice president shared his happiness and said the whole society should be harmonious.

"The special administrative region government should conduct well its administration and provide more services. Meanwhile, every citizen should support the government and help each other in a joint bid to usher in a more beautiful future for the society," Zeng added.

He said that Hong Kong is a high efficient society, and high- efficiency is one of Hong Kong's characteristics and advantages, which must be kept.

The vice president later paid a visit to the Cheerful Court, a housing scheme for aged residents, at Gwun Tong division of Kowloon.

The Cheerful Court, one of the two venues covered in the government-run Senior Citizen Residence Scheme, provides the aged with a library and health and medical facilities.

Zeng conversed at the library with elders who were reading there. Seeing two of them reading books with the aid of magnifying glasses, the vice president praised the library for its consideration.

Zeng also visited Li Ba Sheng, 80, on the 18th floor of the Cheerful Court building.

Holding the hands of Li and his wife, the vice president wished the old couple good health and a long life.

"We must pay respect to the senior citizens. It is our nation's tradition to respect the aged," Zeng stated.

Learning that Li had been in the business of importing cuisine pigeons from the Chinese mainland, the vice president said food security is a crucial issue.

"We must attach importance to food safety because it is concerning people's lives ... We have been paying much attention and will pay even more attention to the security of food supply to Hong Kong," said Zeng.

Zeng then stepped to the nursing center on the second floor, where a gift package on his behalf covering two massage chairs and 220 sets of blood-pressure meters were on display.

The aged living in the Cheerful Court in return presented Zeng a jade article with a dragon and a phoenix engraved.

"It was hand-made by us and the dragon represents our shared ancestry," one aged resident told the vice president.

Viewing the jubilant scene in the Cheerful Court, Zeng said, " It is our responsibility to respect and take care of the aged and better their lives."

To fulfill the obligation, the efforts from both the government and the community are needed, Zeng said.

The vice president was on his three-day inspection tour in Hong Kong starting from Saturday. he is scheduled to open the Hong Kong Disneyland on Monday.

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