Charity work in China needs more funding, more helping hands and more grassroots charitable organizations at local and rural levels, a senior official recently said.

A girl in Huaibei, Anhui province, empties her piggy bank to contribute to disaster-relief work for the Sichuan quake.

"We should try our best to secure annual donations totaling 100 billion yuan ($14.3 billion); about 1 million charity professionals, and 100 million volunteers and social workers; and further development of grassroots and rural charitable organizations," said Wang Zhenyao, head of the Social Welfare and Charity Promotion Department created earlier this month.

"These goals are possible to achieve, as can be seen by the way the Wenchuan quake changed the character and patterns of charity in China," said the official, who had been disaster and relief director of the Ministry of Civil Affairs for eight years before his new appointment.

"Chinese people have shown the world tremendous philanthropic potential with their donations and volunteerism."

This was demonstrated by the fact that 60 billion yuan had been donated for quake relief as of last month. The figure was expected to reach about 100 billion yuan by the end of the year, Wang said, adding: "This is historical."

When Wang set up the country's first charity office three years ago, he aimed for citizens to donate 50 billion yuan annually by 2010.

Last year, citizens and enterprises donated a total of 22.3 billion yuan in cash and in-kind donations - a 123 percent increase over the previous year, according to a report by the ministry.

The record high for donations after the earthquake has been the result of a growing awareness about charity.

"More orderly charitable activities and more inspired public participation have been cultivated along with charitable systems and policies," he said.

However, there is still a long way to go for people to actualize their philanthropic potential, he added.

In addition, unprecedented public attention has been given to questions of how to most efficiently and effectively use charitable funds through the government and organizations.

"It is time for a major adjustment of charity systems and for a better implementation of our policies," Wang said.

The new department's creation is indicative of the growing importance placed on charitable activities in China.