In bakeries and housing estates, visit proves a hit
For Ann Wong Lai-fun, a shopkeeper at the Kee Wah Bakery in Sha Tin, the premier's visit yesterday was an occasion to reflect on the last time her business had been blessed by the appearance of a high-ranking leader. That was roughly a decade ago, when Hong Kong was a British colony, and the person who appeared at the doorway to snack on her egg tarts was the governor, Chris Patten.
'The feelings are different this time,' she said. 'When Mr Patten came here, the British were still ruling Hong Kong. But with Premier Wen Jiabao, he is from the mainland.'
Wilson Yip Hing-kwok, chairman of Amoy Gardens Owners Joint Committee, couched popular reaction to the visit in perhaps more eloquent terms. Calling it 'an honour' for the premier to have placed the residential estate - a big victim of the Sars outbreak - on his itinerary, he said: 'Having the premier come from so far away shows that he really cares about the people here. A few months ago many people were scared to come to Amoy Gardens, including my own friends.'
Fung Mei-wan, a member of the Kwun Tong District Council, was eating dim sum at the Amoy Gardens arcade yesterday morning when she heard the premier would be visiting. She queued up with other residents to wait.
'I didn't know I'd be so lucky to hold his hand for so long,' she said. 'He had a very warm and welcoming smile. He was very nice and not arrogant at all.'
The premier's knowledge about the places he visited yesterday was also cited in his wake. In a conversation with residents, he accurately ticked off the number of deaths at Amoy Gardens, even those in Block E. In a speech later at the University of Hong Kong, he rattled off a brief history of the academic institution.
David Tung, a stock broker who had a chance to chat with the premier at Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, was impressed.
'He's a very intelligent man,' Mr Tung said. 'I wanted to talk to him some more about the economy, but we didn't have enough time.'
