HONG KONG'S biggest labor union will step up efforts to provide assistance to its residents in distress on the mainland by opening a service center in Dongguan next month.

The Federation of Trade Unions (FTU) also plans to set up bureaus in other cities in Guangdong, the South China Morning Post reported yesterday.

The Dongguan center, due to open Feb. 8, will be the third mainland bureau for the FTU.

The move comes after staff of from FTU's Guangzhou center helped bring a three-year-old girl home. Stranded for nearly a week after her mother plunged to her death from a hotel, the girl was brought back to Hong Kong last week, the Post said.

The FTU centers in Guangzhou and Shenzhen have handled more than 1,500 inquiries and requests for help from Hongkongers since they were set up in 2004.

FTU chairman Cheng Yiu-tong said the union was considering setting up centers in cities like Zhuhai, Zhongshan and Foshan.

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong, which focuses on trade and economic ties between Hong Kong and the province, will also start providing assistance to Hongkongers seeking help in the province. Offices located in Guangxi, Fujian, Jiangxi and Hainan will launch the service in April.

Editor: Yan