Xu Zhouping and Tang Yanhui arrived in Golmud, northwest China's Qinghai Province, on September 11 to face hardship, loneliness, isolation and a heavy responsibility -- and no pay.

They were part of a 10-member volunteer group, the fourth of its kind since May, who have come to Hoh Xil to help protect the Tibetan antelope from the threat of poachers -- all at their own expense.

Helping others voluntarily is becoming a natural choice of more and more ordinary Chinese.

It is estimated that about 10,000 volunteers in Beijing alone provide voluntary services all year round.

At Dongzhimen intersection in downtown Beijing, 74-year-old pensioner Xie Liang has been giving road directions every day since September last year.

"It is a pity I can only do such small things because of my age, but I am happy that I can help others," said Xie, who strides around the intersection from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

On Yanshi Street, Suining City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, a special bank, the Community Bank of Good Conduct, has been launched.

Workers with the bank write down good deeds taking place in the community and publicize them in forms such as blackboard notices. The bank has opened 13 convenience centers where more than 200 volunteers provide free services ranging from medical care and computer training to home economics.

The establishment of the bank has helped form an atmosphere of mutual care, assistance and unity in the community.

The growing sacrificial spirit nationwide is best showcased by Project Hope, designed to aid poor school-age children in rural areas. So far, Project Hope has received more than two billion yuan (US$242 million) in donations which have helped 2.47 million poor children.

While sacrifice and assistance is becoming popular among ordinary Chinese, trustworthiness has also been given unprecedented attention in the development of the market economy.

The city government of Wenzhou in Zhejiang Province, east China, which has become known for producing minor commodities, decided to set August 8 as the Day of Trustworthiness.

On the same day 15 years ago, the administration for industry and commerce in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province, burned a huge pile of fake and poor-quality leather shoes made in Wenzhou.

Positive changes have taken place since the 1992 implementation of a local regulation urging the importance of quality to rejuvenate Wenzhou, and a great number of the city's commodities, including leather shoes and garments, are now famous brands.

(Xinhua News Agency September 16, 2002)