Coronavirus epidemic: time for Hong Kong to show hard-hit Hubei it cares

In response to the coronavirus outbreak, Hong Kong’s Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po has announced a HK$120 billion relief deal, including cash handouts of HK$10,000 for all adult permanent residents. As the people of Hubei are facing long-term battles against the coronavirus outbreak and enormous economic losses caused by the lockdown, we urge the Hong Kong government to donate HK$500 million to the Hubei provincial government through the Disaster Relief Fund.

Since its establishment in 1993, the Disaster Relief Fund has responded swiftly to meet humanitarian needs following natural disasters on the mainland and abroad. In 2008, the Hong Kong government donated HK$300 million through the fund in aid for the Sichuan earthquake. In 2013, a sum of HK$100 million was donated through the fund to support Yaan earthquake victims in Sichuan.

As the coronavirus outbreak has caused an unprecedented amount of suffering, it is time for the fund to provide immediate help to the people of Hubei and express the goodwill of Hong Kong society, which has a long, celebrated tradition of supporting compatriots in need.

The fund should also provide financial support to non-governmental organisations with relief programmes in Hubei. Médecins Sans Frontières, which has an office in Hong Kong, has shipped medical protective equipment to Wuhan from Brussels. The Hong Kong Red Cross has also worked with its partner in mainland China to source medical equipment globally.

Although the Disaster Relief Fund has not received funding applications for the coronavirus outbreak, the Hong Kong government should proactively offer financial support to these organisations while ensuring their operational independence and flexibility.

Through the official WeChat channel of the Hong Kong government’s Wuhan office, Social Workers Across Borders has created a WeChat group followed by about 150 Hongkongers stranded in Hubei. Volunteer social workers have been providing members of the group with information about food and medical services.

The Disaster Relief Fund should support Social Workers Across Borders financially to expand this programme and to help the around 3,000 Hong Kong residents in Hubei.

Tingting Pan, Mengqi Wu, Simon Wang, Kowloon Tong