Seventh-day Adventists are committed to being a "useful, constructive" force in Hong Kong society, said church leaders during a Nov. 13 meeting with one of the region's leading politicians.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is committed to being a “useful, constructive” force in Hong Kong society, said church leaders during a Nov. 13 meeting with one of the region’s leading politicians.
Pastor Jan Paulsen, president of the Adventist world church, who was in Hong Kong for the church’s centenary celebrations, paid a courtesy visit to Dr. Patrick Ho, Secretary for Home Affairs. Pastor James Wu, president of the church’s Chinese Union Mission, and Pastor P.D. Chun, president of the church in the Northern Asia-Pacific region, also attended the meeting, which took place at the Central Government Offices in downtown Hong Kong.
Ho took the opportunity to speak about the role of religion in Hong Kong society since Britain ceded the territory back to China in 1997. “I want to assure you that the Hong Kong government has adopted an open policy for religious organizations, and especially for affiliated community services in social work, health, and education,” said Ho. “The development of Hong Kong has relied on the participation of religious bodies. This is very important in Hong Kong’s history, and remains an important part of its future. We believe that one of the pillars of Hong Kong’s success now, and in the future, is to celebrate differences and to embrace pluralism.”
Ho, a practicing ophthalmologist before his appointment to the Home Affairs portfolio in July this year, said he was familiar with the church’s international network of hospitals and medical clinics. He praised the church for its emphasis on providing health and social services, saying that the Adventist health system “plays a very important role in developing a healthier Hong Kong.”
Paulsen assured Ho of the church’s continued commitment to making a positive difference in society. “Adventists ask their community: ‘What are the hopes and needs of the people living here? And how can we best respond to these needs?’”
As Secretary for Home Affairs, Ho’s portfolio includes issues of human rights, community and youth development, and arts, culture and recreation. He is one of Hong Kong’s 11 top administrators serving under the region’s chief executive, Tung Chee Hwa.
