al public to the relief campaign in China's Sichuan Province hit by a devastating earthquake have won warm praise and appreciation from people in China. In addition to sending rescue teams and volunteers, delivering planeloads of aid materials, people in the private sector in Taiwan have so far contributed and pledged close to NT$3 billion in cash to help people hit by the disaster.
This made Taiwan so far the largest contributor in terms of monetary donations.
Wang Yung-ching, founder of the Formosa Plastics Group (FPG), ranks as the top donor with 100 million renminbi (NT$440 million or US$14.35 million).
Internet surfers in China appreciated Wang's generosity and wished him to "always have good health and enjoy the same longevity as Nanshan [one of China's southern mountains]."
Wang, 92, is a self-made tycoon who built one of the world's largest petrochemical empires, before expanding to enter into the electronics industry.
Wang just visited Xiamen in China's southern Fujian Province, where his ancestors came from, to open a giant hospital in honor of his father early this month.
People in China also posted on the Internet the list of contributions by other entrepreneurs and companies based in Taiwan, including other generous donors like Chang Jung-fa, founder the Ever Green Group, who contributed US$10 million (NT$310 million).
Others included the Hon Hai Group, the Ruentex Group, the Uni-President Enterprises Group, the Cathay Group, the Far Eastern Group, the Fubon Group, the Mitac Group, the Yuanta Financial Group, the Wei-Chuan Group, and the Wan Wan Group.
Internet users in China urged their friends to do their shopping at stores run by Taiwan enterprises on the mainland.
Some particularly call for making purchases at the wholesale RT-Mart stores run by Ruentex, while avoiding from Western companies, especially Carrefour, after people in China felt offended by the disruption of the Olympic torch relay in France.
It was also added that when buying new computers, people should supposedly choose Taiwan products like the motherboards or display cards supplied by Foxconn Technology Group, an affiliate of the Hon Hai Group.
While praising the people and entrepreneurs in Taiwan, the mass population on the Internet in China also questioned how little China's own billionaires has contributed to the urgent relief campaign so far.
They also posted the figures pledged by the owners of the largest groups in China for comparison with the contributions by their counterparts in Taiwan.
The 10 people known as the richest people in China have so far pledged to donate a combined equivalent of NT$143 million, even less than the donation of one single business owner in Taiwan.
Some analysts suggested that business groups planning to expand operations in China should open their hearts and wallets to give generous help to the victims of the disaster.
Such contributions are generally appreciated by Chinese consumers as "delivering coal in the snow" and the consumers generally pay back to the helpers with handsome returns in the future, they said.
Aside from the fund-raising campaign in the private sector, the government's Cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council has opened a special fund account at the Bank of Taiwan with the "003004291972" number at all branches of the government-owned bank.
Donations from individuals and organizations reached NT$18,742,230 in the first two days after the bank account was made public.
Terms of use