Tycoon's condition improving
The health of tycoon Henry Fok Ying-tung is improving and he is in high spirits, one of his top aides said yesterday.
Otto Lin Chui-chau, a former vice-president of the University of Science and Technology, said Mr Fok, who is a vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, was not critically ill as some media had reported. The reports said Mr Fok had been treated for cancer.
'His condition has been improving over the past few weeks and his spirits are high,' Professor Lin said. The professor, who has been helping Mr Fok develop the Nansha Information Technology Park in Panyu since the late 1990s, is chief executive of China Nansha Technology Enterprises, which oversees the project.
The China News Agency reported last week that Mr Fok, 83, was very ill and receiving treatment in Beijing. The report said Vice-President Zeng Qinghong had visited him recently.
Professor Lin said the tycoon had a phone conversation with people close to him late last week. 'As soon as his condition has improved adequately he will be returning to hold some public functions,' the professor said. He said the idea of Mr Fok appearing at public functions soon indicated his condition was reasonably good.
Professor Lin said Mr Fok had expressed a keen interest in the arrival last month of Sweden's King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia in Guangzhou on the Gotheborg, a full-size replica of ships that sailed in the 18th century between the city and Gothenburg. The vessel completed a voyage the original Gotheborg made more than 260 years ago before it sank near its home port carrying goods from China.
