Quake relief donations go transparent as China opens online database

Source: Xinhua  |   2008-12-6  |     ONLINE EDITION

THOSE who made donations for the relief and rehabilitation of southwest China after the massive earthquake on May 12 are able to see how their donations are being spent through an online database made public on Friday by the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

Queries can be entered using the donor's name and the amount of the donation at www.ccdic.org/ywxt/eoa/cx.jsp. The system is only accessible in Chinese.

Records of about 1.7 million donations worth 31.4 billion yuan (US$4.6 billion) can be identified in the system so far.

Chinese and foreign donors had contributed cash and goods worth about 75.2 billion yuan for relief and rehabilitation as of November 25, according to the ministry. About 24.3 billion yuan in cash and goods worth about 94.6 billion yuan has so far been channeled to the quake areas for use.

The ministry also said on Friday that it would publish a detailed report on quake contributions, including how local governments spend the money.

The 8.0-magnitude quake on May 12, centered in Wenchuan County in southwestern Sichuan Province, left more than 69,000 people dead, 374,000 injured, 18,000 missing and millions homeless.