US Red Cross' quake aid helpful

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-03-25 23:26

WASHINGTON: A delegation from China's Red Cross Society displayed photographs of new buildings emerging from the rubble and smiles replacing tears as they showed their American counterparts and the business community how their aid has helped victims of the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan province.

"The Chinese people have never felt so close to each other and to the world community," Jiang Yiman, the executive vice-president of the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC), told a meeting with the American Red Cross and officials of Business Roundtable on Monday.

The American Red Cross pledged $50 million in emergency relief following the earthquake that hit Sichuan, which left nearly 87,000 dead or missing, 370,000 injured and some 15 million houses damaged.

Corporate donations from the US totaled nearly $15 million while individual donations reached more than $3 million, accounting for half of the total individual donations from abroad.

"It is painful to recall the devastating earthquake," said Xie Feng, deputy chief of mission of the Chinese embassy to the US. "But it is touching to remind ourselves of the heroic and strong perseverance of the Chinese nation, as well as the solidarity of the international community."

Jiang said the Chinese delegation's six-day visit to the US is one of "gratitude, cooperation and friendship". He said the RCSC has so far spent 280 million dollars to build nearly 70,000 houses, 450 schools and 1,500 clinics in the earthquake-stricken region. It will continue to enhance its efforts in helping victims recover and improve the capabilities of the communities in responding to disasters.

Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, who chairs the American Red Cross, said: "We are very impressed by the leadership of the Red Cross Society and are committed to working on the reconstruction, to helping build homes and to getting people back to normal life.

"I think the American people, who have been so generous, want to know that the dollars and resources are actually reaching the people they intended to help."

A memorandum of understanding was also signed between the Chinese and American Red Cross societies to renew cooperation over the next five years.

Jiang told reporters the agreement constitutes a general framework to boost cooperation between the two groups in disaster management, emergency response, AIDS prevention and post-disaster reconstruction.

Jiang said the trip is also aimed at renewing the friendship between the Chinese and American Red Cross societies and expressing China's appreciation toward an additional $3 million in aid the US Red Cross has pledged to provide for China's post-earthquake reconstruction.

Xinhua

(China Daily 03/25/2009 page5)