China.org.cn | March 14, 2020
Bauhinia Magazine:
Many entrepreneurs and non-governmental institutions in Hong Kong have been actively engaged in charity and poverty alleviation on the Chinese mainland. Mr. Liu, how do you evaluate Hong Kong's contribution to poverty alleviation on the mainland? Thank you.
Liu Yongfu:
As you just mentioned, Hong Kong's ties with the mainland have always been close and are getting closer. The SAR government, social organizations, entrepreneurs and people of Hong Kong have done a lot of work and played an effective role in the development of charity and poverty alleviation on the mainland. In particular, the SAR government has provided assistance to Nanjiang county in Sichuan province. In 2013, the county was home to 70,000 to 80,000 impoverished people. It was removed from the poverty list in 2018 and all impoverished people there were lifted out of poverty in 2019. The area has benefited from contributions by the SAR government and people from all walks of life in Hong Kong. Social organizations and the Hong Kong people have also done a lot of work. The "Heifer Project," which has operated on the mainland for almost 20 years, provides impoverished households with a heifer cow, allowing farmers to learn the skills necessary to raise cattle. The cow is then transferred to another household after it produces calves. This project has benefited around 20,000 households in six provinces across China, many of them poor families. Social organizations, entrepreneurs and the people of Hong Kong have also helped a lot in every major natural disaster on the mainland, including the COVID-19 outbreak. We are very grateful and will not forget it. Thank you.
Hu Kaihong:
That concludes today's press conference. Thank you, Mr. Liu. Thank you all.