Charities nationwide have collected over 70 million yuan, or over US$8 million, to help victims in the devastated countries.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Thursday that the Red Cross Society of China has collected 45 million yuan or about US$5 million, while the Chinese Charity Federation has received 30 million yuan, part of which has been sent to South Asia.

The Chinese government has just pledged an additional US$20 million in aid to the tsunami-hit countries.

This would bring the total government donation to US$83 million.

(CRI.com January 7, 2005)