The Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF calls on more people and private sectors to support the activities and programs of UNICEF in China. The organization held a press conference in Beijing on April 6, after a special trip to Jiangxi Province.

The UNICEF Jiangxi trip lasted for a week, from March 31 to April 5. On the trip were UNICEF Ambassador Gigi Leung and Special Representative Eric Suen, both from the Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF. They visited poor families and children in remote mountainous areas of Jiangxi Province.

"This is the sixth time I have joined UNICEF for a similar trip in poor areas, including Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Guizhou Province, and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region." Leung said, "However, each trip impressed me in different aspects. In Guizhou, I was quite surprised by their poor housing conditions; this time, in Jiangxi, I noticed those left-behind children are actually a great problem in the rural area. As their parents work in big cities, far away from home, they are left with their grandparents for most of time and tend to pay little attention to hygiene and health issues. That lays a great threat to their growing up."

For Suen, it was his first time taking part in such a trip to mainland China, although he has attended charity activities in countries such as Vietnam and Cambodia. "I am rather upset to notice the poor living conditions of children in my own motherland," said Suen, "I will spare more time and contribute more for them in the days to follow."

"It's important to invite these celebrities such as Gigi Leung and Eric Suen to join us," said Leonie Ki, council member of the Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF, "since they can draw more attention among the public to children in rural areas."

The Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF has always been proactive in raising funds for the cooperative programs between UNICEF and the Chinese government, according to Zhang Kening, commercial counselor from the Department of International Trade and Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Commerce. "When the 8.0-magnitude earthquake struck Sichuan last year, the Hong Kong Committee donated 140 million HK dollars to the UNICEF in China. This sum of money will aim for the post-quake construction concerning children."

"This year 2009 is actually not only the 60th anniversary since UNICEF first provided assistance to children in the People's Republic of China, but also the 30th anniversary of program cooperation in China with the government," indicated Dr. Yin Yin Nwe, the UNICEF representative to China.

Dr. Nwe, on behalf of UNICEF, expressed her gratitude to Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Co., Ltd at the press conference.

Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Corporation has been cooperating with UNICEF for more than three years. As of now, it has donated more than 4 million yuan to the UNICEF programs in China. "What we have been doing just aims to serve the society better," said Chiu Fong, senior manager of the Branding Department at Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Co., Ltd.

At the press conference, Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Corporation made another donation of 450,000 yuan to UNICEF, which will be used to draw more people's attention to the cooperative programs between UNICEF and the Chinese government.

(China.org.cn April 7, 2009)