The Lions did it again
22 September 2002

On 29 August 2002, The International President of Lions Clubs International (LCI) Kay Fukushima and a delegation of Lions met President Jiang Zemin and other leaders of the People's Republic of China in Beijing. The meeting was reported in detail in Ta Kung Pao last week.

Prominent among the delegation were members of the LCI District 303 (Hong Kong and Macau) including Executive Chairman of SightFirst China Action Committee Mr Tam Wing Kun who is a good friend and service partner of many of our District leaders. Tai Kung Pao reported that Mr Tam was overwhelmed by the occasion during which he shook hands with President Jiang twice. During the meeting, President Jiang also invited LCI District 303 Governor Teresa K F Mann to speak. The report went on to say that President Jiang was pleased with what LCI had achieved in China and assured the visiting delegation of Lions that China would go all out to support LCI's SightFirst programmes in China, adding that operating the SightFirst programme in China had been difficult, but that it was extremely meaningful and had brought needy services to the handicapped in China.

We reported in this column in May 2002 the outstanding achievements of LCI in having two Lions Clubs chartered in the Mainland of China. These two clubs are now admitting local business and professional people, compared with the two provisional clubs in Beijing and Shanghai approved by Rotary International to which only visiting and resident foreigners can be admitted. Now, the Lions have done it again, and we congratulate their achievements with due humility.

A meeting between the leadership of China and LCI at the highest level signals that China is not aversed to and indeed welcomes activities of international service clubs and the people who seek to prosecute these services. The meeting is indeed a milestone and a boon for all service organizations in general and LCI in particular.

As we congratulate the achievements of LCI, we would waste no time to learn from our partners in service how they have achieved what they have achieved. Indeed, both sides have met and are ready to continue these meetings. We are cautiously optimistic that a formula can be devised that would result in a similiar recognition by the China leadership of the services Rotarians are taking to the people in China. One thing seems clear - that Rotarians from District 3450 have consistently been recognised by various ministries of PRC for their work and service in China is convinving proof that we have been proceeding along the right track and sufficient indication that further dialogue on extension in China ought to be pursued through Rotarians from District 3450.