Celebrities from Hong Kong, Taiwan and China to hold charity show

Celebrities from Hong Kong, Taiwan and China to hold charity show for quake victims

Helen Luk Associated Press/Hong Kong

Celebrities from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and mainland China will perform a fund-raising show next week for tsunami victims in devastated southern Asia, organizers said Friday.

Hong Kong singers Andy Lau, Kelly Chan, Jacky Cheung, Aaron Kwok and Alan Tam are among the stars who will perform at Friday's four-hour show, local newspapers reported.

Patricia Ho, one of the organizers, said the lineup has not been confirmed, and other entertainers were being recruited.

Comedian Eric Tsang, chairman of the Hong Kong Performing Artistes Guild, told the Apple Daily newspaper they hope to make We are the World the theme song of the event.

A magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck off Indonesia's coast Sunday, triggering tsunamis that killed nearly 120,000 people from Southeast Asia to East Africa. Millions have been displaced.

Some Hong Kong entertainers will travel to affected areas and film disaster sites to raise more money for victims, Tsang said. Donations have been pouring in across wealthy Hong Kong: Action stars Jackie Chan gave 500,000 Hong Kong dollars (US$64,000; euro47,000), Anna and the King star Chow Yun-fat donated HK$200,000 (US$25,600; euro19,000), and tycoon Li Ka-shing gave US$3.1 million (euro2.3 million).

Veteran singer Alan Tam said he would give HK$800,000 (US$102,000) to the quake victims from ticket sales of his New Year concert in Malaysia, according to local media.

In other fund-raising activities, Hong Kong pop singers Nicholas Tse, Joey Yung, Jaycee Chan -- son of Jackie Chan -- and the female pop duo Twins headlined another charity show by Emperor Entertainment Group on Sunday night.

The government said local broadcaster TVB would produce a two- hour television charity show on Saturday at the Hong Kong Stadium. TVB also said it would air another fund-raising special Sunday night, but the lineups for both shows have not been completed.

Western Union Financial Services International, one of the world's largest money transfer companies, announced Friday it would donate US$1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross for tsunami victims.

The company also said it would provide free financial transfers for people in Cambodia, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, the Philippines and Laos who wish to make donations.

GetAP 1.00 -- DEC 31, 2004 15:19:31