Overseas Chinese donate to quake victims

Source: CCTV.com | 05-27-2008 09:02

People all over the world have been saddened by the Wenchuan earthquake. Many overseas Chinese have been doing all they can to help their compatriots back home.

In the US, a charity concert was held on Sunday evening. It was organized by the Union of Chinese Educators and Students in the US. Chinese students there have already held many donation drives. One of them, a Tibetan student, said he had donated one thousand US dollars -- his living allowance for an entire month.

An overseas Chinese student said, "What we can do is to donate as much as we can to help more people."

In the UK, the Disabled People's Arts Troupe of China is continuing its tour in the country with a performance in London. The troupe says all its earnings in the UK -- about 1.6 million yuan in all -- will be donated to the quake-hit areas.

In Sydney's China Town, the Australian Red Cross and some local Chinese are also raising money. So far, overseas Chinese in Australia have donated 2,000 tents to the quake-stricken areas. And local charities are planning to buy more tents.

Lewis Kaplan, Exec. Director of Australian Red Cross, said, "Thank you so much for attending this fund-rising activity today, to show our support to the people affected in Sichuan's earthquake."

Not only Chinese, but many Australians are also chipping in. Together, they've raised almost a quarter million Australian dollars.

Meanwhile, in Tokyo, a charity auction of paintings and calligraphy is underway. Over fifty artists donated about a hundred artworks for the event, which will run until the end of June. It's expected to raise about 10 million yen.

So far, overseas Chinese in Japan have raised 560 million yen in cash, as well as relief supplies worth 52 million yen.

And over in Paris, a charity concert was held on Sunday evening. It was organized by the Union of Chinese Educators and Students in France. Many Chinese students in France donated items for the event, raising a total of seven thousand five hundred Euro. The Union has thus far received 50-thousand Euro in donations.

Editor:Zhang Ning