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Mrs Betty Tung, wife of the Chief Executive, had kind words and warm wishes for the Chinese elderly of New York during her visit to Project Open Door - Senior Citizen Centre (the Centre) in Chinatown of New York today (April 6, US time).

Mrs Tung is accompanying the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, who is visiting the United States to reinforce closer economic and business ties between Hong Kong and the US.

Mrs Tung first visited the Centre back in September 1997, when she accompanied Mr Tung for his first official visit to the US as the Chief Executive of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

During her visit to the Centre, Mrs Tung gave a short speech, reaffirming the importance of caring for one's parents. She also gave a brief description of Hong Kong's welfare services for the elderly. Mrs Tung took the opportunity to chat with the elderly at the Centre.

Mrs Tung presented three sets of health-care equipment to the Centre. As a gesture of thanks, the Centre gave her souvenir videos and bouquets of flowers.

Project Open Door is the first Chinese-sponsored senior citizen centre in New York Chinatown. It provides a wide range of services including home-delivered meals, English language classes, workshops and recreational activities. It is operated by the Chinese-American Planning Council, one of the largest providers of social services for Asian Americans in the US.

Earlier in the day, Mrs Tung attended a breakfast reception hosted by the China Institute in America, where she shared her experiences as an active participant in community services with guests at the breakfast. Mrs Tung is the President of the Hong Kong Red Cross and the Hong Kong Community Chest. During her visit to the China Institute, Mrs Tung also toured the art gallery and the Suzhou-styled inner court of the Institute.

Photo: Mrs Betty Tung presents health-care equipment to Project Open Door - Senior Citizen Centre (the Centre) in New York Chinatown during her visit to the Centre. From right: Mrs Pauline Tse, Vice President of Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC), Mrs Tung, Ms Po-ling Ng, Director of the Centre, Ms Virginia Kee, founding Chair of CPC, and Mr David Chen, Executive Director of CPC.

End/Friday, April 7, 2000

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