Record 1 billion yuan in international aid granted by Beijing in 2005

Beijing provided almost a billion yuan in humanitarian aid to countries stricken by three massive natural disasters last year, in China's biggest international relief effort to date.

Assistant Minister of Commerce Chen Jian said yesterday the central government had set up a mechanism to deal with the country's increasing role in international relief campaigns.

'The Chinese government has established an emergency response mechanism with working programmes in order to enable it to help countries suffering from natural disasters and provide them humanitarian aid,' Mr Chen said.

He said the mechanism comprised officials from the ministries of foreign affairs, public health, commerce and transportation and the earthquake administration, with each taking responsibility to implement parts of the central government's international relief effort.

Mr Chen said China provided aid of 521.63 million yuan and multilateral donations of US$20 million to countries stricken by the Indian Ocean tsunami on December 26, 2004.

It also provided Pakistan with US$26.73 million in cash and materials to help provide relief after the massive earthquake that struck Kashmir in October and had provided Washington with aid of US$5 million and a separate batch of emergency relief materials after Hurricane Katrina tore into New Orleans in August, Mr Chen said.

He pledged that Beijing would make greater contribution to the international relief efforts 'within its own capacity as its economy keeps growing and its national strength increases', while stressing that China 'remains a truly developing country' despite its fast economic growth.