Sailors from the Liaoning visit elderly care home
More than 20 sailors from the visiting naval formation headed by the Liaoning — the country’s first aircraft carrier — joined 40 personnel from the People’s Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison on a visit to an elderly care home in Kowloon on Monday.
The visit was on the fourth day of the naval formation’s five-day visit to the city. The ships’ historic visit was arranged to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the PLA being stationed in the special administrative region.
During their visit to the Asia Women’s League Ho Leung Kit Ting Care and Attention Home for the Elderly in Kowloon Tong, the military personnel performed drills and also sang and danced for the elderly people. They then gave out gifts and took time to chat with seniors.
Leading the naval detachment was Zhao Jinlu — deputy political commissar of a warship accompanying the Liaoning.
Zhao said it was astonishing to see how enthusiastic Hong Kong people were about visiting the aircraft carrier. He hopes the crew’s visit to the elderly care home will encourage people to focus more on the needs of seniors in the city.
Zhao and his personnel donated HK$60,000 to the elderly care home.
He also thanked staff at the home for their dedication and care, before again offering his best wishes to the elderly.
In response, the seniors give the soldiers samples of their calligraphy work.
Gao Feng, director of PLA Hong Kong Garrison Headquarters Office, said during the visit that the Hong Kong Garrison had dispatched more than 510 officers to visit 10 care homes since 2006. They subsequently met more than 4,600 elderly people and young children.
He also invited the elderly people to visit the Hong Kong Garrison barracks and dine with soldiers there.
More than 60 elderly people, including six centenarians, enjoyed performances by the sailors and soldiers.
Tse Yuet-king, who is 110, burst into tears when officers visited her. Tse cannot speak because of her advanced age but thanked her visitors by repeatedly holding their hands. Zhao, sitting next to her, helped her wipe away tears of joy.
Leung Shue, 85, said she was also thrilled by the visit. “It’s a rare experience to have so many soldiers and sailors visiting us,” added Leung.