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SCMP Reporter

The central government yesterday  pledged an additional 500 million yuan in humanitarian aid to help countries ravaged by the tsunami.

Meeting  envoys from nations affected by the catastrophe,  Premier Wen Jiabao   said the mainland had benefited from other countries' help in past disasters and would not hesitate when its neighbours were in need of help.

'Now your countries face great difficulties and the Chinese people can feel your pain,' Xinhua quoted Mr Wen as saying in Beijing. 'The suffering you face touches the hearts of all Chinese people.'

He also promised that Beijing would provide more aid when needed.

The 500 million yuan in aid is in addition to 21.63 million yuan pledged earlier this week. The central government has already delivered aid to hard-hit countries such as Sri Lanka and Indonesia and sent rescue teams to the Indonesian province of Aceh.

A contributor to Xinhua's online forum hailed China's donation yesterday, saying: 'Although China is not rich, there should be caring and sympathy because we live under the same sky.'

On Thursday, the Red Cross Society of China donated US$640,000  of its own money to the relief efforts  and issued a nationwide appeal for donations.

The organisation said donations of  goods could not be accepted for the time being because of logistical problems.

The Buddhist Association of China also offered condolences and planned to send donations to the countries affected, Xinhua said.

One donor making a contribution to the Red Cross yesterday, Beijinger Zhao Jing ,  said: 'I feel terribly sad these days. There are just too many victims.'

Several universities in Beijing have launched campaigns to raise funds for the tsunami victims.

Xinhua yesterday reported the mainland's first fatality in the catastrophe - a woman named He Shuqin   from Jiangsu province .

The report did not give details of how or where she died.



Beijing pledges extra 500m yuan