HONG KONG, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Luo Huining, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), visited local residents on Thursday, which marks the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival.

Luo's first stop was 74-year-old Ng Pak-han's home in Siu Sai Wan of Hong Kong Island. Earlier this year after the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic in the mainland, Ng donated her hard-owned savings of 110,000 Hong Kong dollars (about 14,170 U.S. dollars) and asked the liaison office to hand it over to the mainland for the anti-virus efforts.

"You are a few years older than me. You are my elder sister. Your kindness shows that Hong Kong and mainland compatriots are a family," said Luo, holding Ng's hands.

Ng said, "At that time, I saw on TV that all parts of the country were supporting Hubei to fight the epidemic. As a Chinese, I should do my part."

Luo said that the central government attached great attention to Hong Kong and cared about the safety and health of Hong Kong compatriots, and sent supporting teams to assist Hong Kong's universal community testing and build temporary treatment facilities.

Under the leadership of the HKSAR government, Hong Kong will be able to firmly control the epidemic and restore normal economic and social order, he added.

Luo then came to Kowloon's Sham Shui Po, one of the areas with the largest number of subdivided flats in Hong Kong. At Xu Tianmin's rented home of no more than eight square meters, Xu told Luo that he is currently out of job. His wife and daughter have to go back to their hometown in central China's Hunan Province to live.

Luo said last year's social unrest and the ongoing epidemic have hit Hong Kong's economy and affected people's livelihoods, and the HKSAR government has launched three rounds of anti-epidemic funds.

He hoped that all sectors of society, organizations and enterprises will make efforts to restore the economy, increase employment and relieve the hardship of the people.

Luo sent mooncakes and anti-virus materials to both Ng and Xu during his visit.