HONG KONG: Hong Kong will donate HK$50 million to Taiwan for relief and rehabilitation work, acting Chief Executive Henry Tang announced yesterday.

Tang's announcement came just as the news was released that a family of five Hong Kong tourists stranded in Alishan had been found safe.

Tang said the SAR government has checked with the Chung Hwa Travel Service to try to ascertain what kind of assistance that Hong Kong can extend.

"Judging from the situation in Taiwan, we will recommend that a donation of HK$50 million be allocated as a contribution to the relief and rehabilitation work," he said.

Tang said the government put forward a request to the chairman of the Legislative Council Finance Committee that an urgent meeting be convened to examine the proposal.

The government will ask the Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee for some advice and to allocate the financial grant to authorities in Taiwan through the Chung Hwa Travel Service. The financial aid first requires the approval of the Finance Committee, he added.

"We feel that because we would like to do it in an efficient and effective manner, we have liaised with the Taiwanese side and come to the conclusion, through enquiries with them, that the Chung Hwa Travel Service is the most appropriate channel," he said.

Hong Kong also donated money to Taiwan after the massive earthquake of 1999.

"We are a family," Tang said. "We should give a helping hand when there is a serious disaster."

(HK Edition 08/14/2009 page2)