National

Regional

Taiwan, HK, Macao

Special Coverage

Focus

Society

Profiles

Private sector donates $20b through poverty relief program

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-04-20 20:36

BEIJING -- Private companies in China had donated 138.4 billion yuan (US$20.3 billion) as of late 2008 for social programs through the China Guangcai Program, established in 1994, sources close to the program said here Monday.

Related readings:  Poverty relief is deputy's passion  Premier urges support for private sector amid crisis  Private sector urged to contribute more in economic growth

With nearly 20,000 projects nationwide, the program has helped more than 10 million people out of poverty, said Quan Zhezhu, vice-chairperson of the China Society for Promotion of Guangcai Program.

"In the past 15 years, the program has fully exercised the unique advantage" of the private sector and made "fruitful achievements in poverty alleviation," said Quan.