Mercedes-Benz (China) will donate three million yuan (US$400,000) over the next three years to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as part of its efforts to protect China's World Heritage Sites and environment.

The first one million yuan has gone to a giant panda sanctuary in Sichuan Province.

The money will be used mainly on management staff training courses, including biodiversity protection management and legal training, according to the company.

For next phase of this program, the remaining two million yuan will go to the protection and preservation of other important nature heritage sites around the country, it said.

China now has 35 cultural and six natural World Heritage sites including the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan, Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area and Sichuan's Giant Panda Sanctuaries which was inscribed as a World Natural Heritage Site in July 2006.

(Shanghai Daily November 2, 2007)