On the 8th floor of the Zhongshan People's Government livelihood office area sit two simple offices, which are the work place of the Zhongshan Consultancy Service Center of Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (hereinafter referred to as HKFTU Zhongshan Center). Since its inception seven year ago, HKFTU Zhongshan Center has been providing consultancy services concerning every aspect of life for Hong Kong people who reside in Zhongshan, Zhuhai, Jiangmen and other Guangdong places.

Ms Lau, 75, who was a nanny car driver in Hong Kong, moved to Zhongshan after retirement in 2001. "Zhongshan has a sound and beautiful environment, and a relatively low cost of living," Lau said. However, living in other place apart from Hong Kong brought her many life problems.

In 2012, HKFTU and Zhongshan Federation of Trade Unions partnered up to establish the HKFTU Zhongshan Center, which aims to provide a variety of consulting and emergency rescue services to Hong Kong people who are now working, living, doing business and or studying in Zhongshan, Zhuhai, Jiangmen, and western Guangdong. After the contact with HKFTU Zhongshan Center, Ms Lau finally found the approaches for solving her problems in life.

For example, the old-age allowance provided to Hong Kong elderly people, is of great importance to Ms Lau. However, as she stays in Zhongshan throughout the year, it is difficult for her to meet the requirement of "living in Hong Kong" to collect the allowance.

In 2013, the old-age allowance Guangdong Scheme was rolled out by the Hong Kong government, allowing Hong Kong elderly people who live in Guangdong to claim their allowances without returning back to Hong Kong. With the help of HKFTU Zhongshan Center, many Hong Kong elderly people in Guangdong, just like Ms Lau, are able to receive the allowances, which provide a guarantee to their later life.

From November 2017 to October 2018, HKFTU Zhongshan Center has dealt with 821 telephone calls, 789 consultancy cases and 72 follow-up cases. According to Pan Zhihui, Director of HKFTU Zhongshan Center, the Zhongshan Consultancy Service Center has served most senior people from Hong Kong among the 5 service centers set up by HKFTU in Guangdong.

"From elderly welfare, to real estate and medical care, we concern every aspect of their lives," Pan Zhihui said. "HKFTU Zhongshan Center focuses on helping Hong Kong people live a better life in the mainland. We hope they can come here whenever they are in need of help." (from Nanfang Plus)