Chinese premier extends New Year's greetings to Hong Kong resident of Amoy Gardens

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, February 14, 2004

Chinese premier extends New Year's greetings to Hong Kong resident of Amoy Gardens

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"Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has asked us to convey his New Year's greetings to your family, wishing you good health and good luck in the year of 2004," said a Chinese official Friday to a Hong Kong resident of Amoy Gardens, whose family had fallen victim to the outbreak of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) in Hong Kong last year.

Zhou Junming, deputy director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said this during his call on Kwok Shin Hung's family, which Wen had visited at the end of June last year during his two-day-stay in Hong Kong.

According to Zhou, the premier on Feb. 5 also asked the liaisonoffice to extend his thanks to the Hongkonger for the postcard andphotos the latter sent to Wen in January this year.

Zhou, following the Hongkongers' tradition of celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year, sent a red envelop to Kwok's daughter KwokMing Wai. He also presented the seven-year-old girl with a yellow schoolbag, some stationery and a beautifully-decorated fruit basket. They chatted cordially, with Laughter resounding in the small apartment.

Kwok, a 38-year-old bus station master of the Kowloon Motor BusCompany, said he sent the premier a postcard and some photos of his daughter and baby son, in a way to express his feelings towardPremier Wen as an ordinary friend and wish the premier a happy newyear.

"I want the premier to have a look at the photos and see that my baby son has grown bigger," he said, adding, "I am very, very happy " about Wen's greetings.

During his half-hour stay at the Amoy Gardens on June 30 last year, Wen was told that Kwok's wife contracted SARS during her pregnancy, and gave birth to their son before dying of the disease.

Holding the three-month-old baby in his hands at that time, Wentold Kwok, "We all are very sorry about the death of your wife. I,on the occasion of this visit, wish to express my deep condolencesover the death of your wife, over the death of others at the Amoy Gardens and the death of all others in Hong Kong relating to SARS."

The Chinese premier encouraged Kwok to shoulder well the dual responsibility of being the father and the mother in bringing up his two children. Wen expressed belief that the baby, who on his very birth experienced hardship, would grow up to be an outstanding man.

Shelley Lee Lai-kuen, permanent secretary for the Home Affairs Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, wrote the premier a letter when handing over Kwok's postcard and photos to him.

"The great care and the affectionate condolences you expressed during your visit to the Kwok family have deeply impressed the people of Hong Kong," she said in the letter, adding that the premier's care and encouragement had enabled them to pick up theirconfidence to gain the victory against SARS.

In his speeches to the Hong Kong people, Wen said the national cohesion fostered in a calamity will make the nation stronger.

Amoy Gardens, a housing estate located in Kowloon Bay in Kowloon, witnessed the worst SARS outbreak in Hong Kong. Of the total 1,755 who had contracted SARS in Hong Kong, more than 320 resided at Amoy Gardens.

Source: Xinhua

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