An Open Letter to Mr. Hu Jintao, President, the People’s Republic of China
by a Group of HKU Alumni on June 14, 2005
who are concerned with Mr. Ching Cheong

Dear President Hu,

Mr. Ching Cheong is a fellow alumnus of the University of Hong Kong . Throughout the years, we have known him to be an upright and sincere person and that he has all the time been leading a simple and frugal life. His strongest passion has always been China, his mother country, and Hong Kong, the city he grew up in. As a professional journalist, he has written many articles and reports on the development and unification of China and his consistent concern for these causes has been clearly demonstrated and recognized. He has always tried his best to contribute to the betterment of the Mainland and Hong Kong. Mr. Ching Cheong has always had our deepest respect.

We are shocked and concerned to learn of the recent detainment of Mr. Ching Cheong in the Mainland. We sincerely hope that in handling this incident, full and impartial consideration would be given to his track record of love for and contribution to the motherland, including Hong Kong.
We sincerely hope that Mr. Ching could return to Hong Kong and be reunited with his family in the very near future.

Jointly signed by:
A group of Hong Kong University graduates and other persons (460 names)

(The Open Letter above was published in Ming Pao and Hong Kong Economic Times on June 14, 2005.)