US Companies Aid Chinese Earthqua...( WASHINGTON May 15 -- The US-Chin...),Health

WASHINGTON, May 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The US-China Business Council (USCBC) today encouraged American companies to continue to support relief efforts under way in China in response to the devastating earthquake that hit Sichuan Province on May 12.

USCBC member companies have already pledged several million dollars in cash and in-kind goods and services for aid to earthquake victims and many have established matching funds for their employees.

"The US-China Business Council (USCBC) has expressed the concerns and support of the US business community to both to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing and the PRC Embassy in Washington, DC," reported USCBC President John Frisbie. "We will continue to advise companies on how to best support the relief effort under way."

The following is a sample list of initial donations by USCBC member companies. Companies continue to pledge new contributions and expand existing ones as events unfold. Updates to this list will be posted at http://uschina.org/public/china/2008/earthquake_relief.html.

American International Group has made an initial pledge of $1 million to provide immediate recovery assistance through several different organizations.

Amway made an initial commitment of RMB 2 million ($286,000) to the Sichuan Red Cross through its Amway China affiliate to aid in recovery efforts. Half of the donations will be for the Red Cross to use for immediate disaster relief. The other half is designated for the reconstruction of a primary school that collapsed in Chengdu City and killed 50 students. Amway China staff and its top sales representatives in that province will also gather Amway volunteers to donate blood in the coming days.

Anheuser-Busch is donating RMB 3.5 million ($500,000) to the Red Cross Society of China to aid relief efforts for earthquake victims. The company also will
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