Police chief Dick Lee yesterday said in Guangzhou that the condition of Jacky Chu, the paralyzed constable, had improved and he was making good recovery. Lee also pledged to continue providing financial support to the family of the ailing cop.

Lee visited Chu at Guangzhou General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, where the cop has been undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The police chief went to visit the ailing cop yesterday before heading to Shanghai and Beijing to meet the police brass there.

Lee, who stayed in the hospital for 15 minutes, said Chu's condition had improved and he was making good recovery.

"His condition has improved in these two months. He is more relaxed and he has got a nimble eyesight. But still it will take a long time for significant progress," Lee said.

The police force had recently decided to give further HK$140,000 to Chu's family for his treatment on the mainland for two more months.

Lee said the police would continue to provide financial support to Chu and his family.

"I have discussed with the doctors. Chu has been undergoing several treatments. These include hyperbaric oxygen treatment. It is estimated that 100 hyperbaric oxygen treatments are needed, and Chu has received half of them already. The other treatment include acupuncture and the combined use of Chinese and western medicine," Lee said.

"These treatments have produced result and we are satisfied with the progress. We will continue giving support to every effective and reasonable measures that will help Chu's family," he said.

In July 2005, Chu was attacked by a knife-wielding man who was making a robbery bid and had his neck artery critically slashed. That stopped supply of blood to his brain rendering him paralysed.

Chu was taken to Guangzhou General Hospital on September 6.

Lee yesterday left for Shanghai and from there he would go to Beijing on Wednesday to meet mainland public security officials, and discuss technology and cross-border crime, and intelligence exchange.

(HK Edition 11/21/2006 page2)