Firefighters at the Wang Fuk Court rescue site in Tai Po, Hong Kong, have largely contained the blaze. (Photo/Wang Shen)
Chongqing - Following the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Hong Kong, both the government and various sectors of society swiftly launched emergency relief and donation efforts to assist the affected residents and support post-disaster recovery.
On November 27, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) announced the establishment of a special fund of 300 million Hong Kong dollars (about 38.5 million U.S. dollars) to support residents affected by the blaze.
Chief Executive of the HKSAR, John Lee, confirmed that the government would provide a cash grant of 10,000 Hong Kong dollars to each affected household.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club announced it would donate 100 million Hong Kong dollars through its emergency relief fund. The club stated that this was the first batch of donations and that more support would be provided as the situation develops.
Chinese enterprises actively participated in the donation
Several Chinese automakers have actively participated in the donation efforts. On November 27, Seres, a new energy vehicle company based in Chongqing, donated five million Hong Kong dollars to support medical assistance, living arrangements, and housing reconstruction for the affected residents.
According to incomplete statistics, five Chinese car manufacturers, including Geely, Chery, BYD, XPeng, and GAC Group, have collectively donated approximately 41 million Hong Kong dollars.
Leading internet firms have also extended their support. Alibaba and the Jack Ma Foundation jointly donated 50 million Hong Kong dollars, with the logistics arm, Cainiao, mobilizing emergency supplies, including food and bedding, to affected areas to provide essential support to residents in need.
Meituan’s international delivery platform, Keeta, donated five million Hong Kong dollars and urgently deployed free mobile charging stations to aid the relief efforts. In addition, Keeta riders in Hong Kong volunteered to transport emergency supplies to disaster areas. The platform has stated that it will reward these volunteers for their efforts.
JD Group, through its Hong Kong-based supermarket chain, Kai Bo Food Supermarket, urgently mobilized essential supplies, including bottled water. The first batch of relief materials was dispatched from nearby warehouses the night of the fire and delivered to the disaster-stricken area via special vehicles.
Didi, a mobility platform, donated an initial 10 million Hong Kong dollars. Didi Hong Kong will also assist the government by rerouting vehicles away from affected areas and facilitating the timely transmission of official rescue and emergency information.
In addition to the companies mentioned above, Xiaomi, Lenovo, ByteDance, Tencent, Baidu, Pinduoduo, and others have collectively donated over 80 million Hong Kong dollars.
Numerous consumption enterprises and travel companies have also contributed to the relief efforts. For instance, consumption brands such as Mixue, Nongfu Spring, Li Ning, and Anta have donated money and goods amounting to over 85 million Hong Kong dollars.
Travel firms, such as China Tourism Group, donated 10 million Hong Kong dollars and utilized their business resources to provide emergency accommodation. The group has arranged rooms at hotels and apartments to assist displaced residents.
Several banks and charitable foundations have joined the effort to support disaster relief and reconstruction. HSBC and Hang Seng Bank announced an initial donation of 30 million Hong Kong dollars to assist with the aftermath of the fire, while Bank of China (Hong Kong) contributed 20 million Hong Kong dollars.
The Li Ka Shing Foundation donated 30 million Hong Kong dollars to establish an emergency relief fund aimed at helping charities in Tai Po provide immediate and ongoing assistance to affected residents. The foundation also allocated an additional 50 million Hong Kong dollars for community rebuilding efforts.
Sino Group and Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation pledged 20 million Hong Kong dollars and have also arranged 160 free hotel rooms at multiple hotels in Hong Kong for affected residents.
Other foundations, such as the Lee Shau Kee Foundation, the Fok Ying Tung Foundation, and the China Merchants Foundation, have collectively donated over 80 million Hong Kong dollars to support emergency relief and temporary shelter for the victims.
According to incomplete statistics from Bridging News, including donations from the businesses and organizations mentioned above, as of November 28, the total amount of contributions has exceeded 600 million Hong Kong dollars.