Speech by Ma Rupei, Vice Minister of Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council

Good afternoon, Ladies and gentlemen:

Entrusted by Ms. Li Haifeng, Minister of Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, and on behalf of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, first I would like to express our deep condolences over the death of those compatriots in the earthquake, to pay our high respects to the numerous PLA soldiers, armed policemen, public security police officers, milita and reserves, medical workers and journalists who are working strenuously in the disaster areas, to the volunteers from worldwide and nationwide and all the donators!

As you all pay close attention to overseas Chinese's supports worldwide for the earthquake relief, before I answer your questions, I would like to make a brief introduction in this regard.

On May 12, an unprecedented earthquake struck Wenchuan County , Sichuan Province, causing severe casualties and economic losses. It shocked the Chinese government, Chinese people, and the whole world. Mr. Hu Jintao, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and Premier We Jiabao gave important instructions instantly and flew to disaster areas to take in command of work for earthquake relief. It also caused great concerns of the international community and overseas Chinese worldwide. The international community immediately conveyed sympathy and supports to the Chinese government and Chinese people and provided aids by various means. While mourning for the dead compatriots through different ways, the overseas Chinese donate money and goods generously and actively to support China 's earthquake relief efforts with warm hearts and deep love. This not only revealed the deep fraternal ties among the Chinese compatriots, manifested the great power that came from solidarity and coordination, but also demonstrated the immense strength from concerted efforts, and aroused the national spirit of the Chinese people to jointly shoulder all kinds of difficulties.

As soon as the outbreak of earthquake, Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council (OCAO) urgently launched "Love Project of the Overseas Chinese —— the earthquake relief drive" at May 13, organized within the shortest time span the disaster relief leading group, headed by Minister Li Haifeng, and promptly started up the emergency working mechanism. Overseas Chinese responded with enthusiasm to "Love Project of the Overseas Chinese —— the earthquake relief drive." On the very day of its launch, we received 68.5 million yuan worth of funds and goods. According to incomplete statistics, by 17:00 June 1, overseas Chinese around the world donated about 1.133 billion yuan worth of funds and goods via Love Project, China 's foreign-stationed organs, China Red Cross Society and China Charity Society and overseas Chinese affairs-related departments. The donation directly received by our office reached 219 million yuan (with 75 million yuan worth of materials).The first relief money of 20.12 million yuan and communication equipment worth of 20 million yuan have been delivered to the disaster area on the third day after the earthquake by Minister Li Haifeng of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council. I also went to Chengdu , Deyang and Mianyang on May 29, discussing with related senior officials of Sichuan Province on post-quake rebuilding works. The Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council plans to build 100 schools and 100 small hospitals with the money donated by the Overseas Chinese in the coming 3—5 years. Now we have already started up the preparation to construct 30 primary schools and 30 small hospitals. We will focus our attention recently on rebuilding two middle school ( Mianzhu Chengbei Middle School and Pengzhou Tongji Middle School respectively), and starting to build four temporary schools through Chinese Language and Culture Education Foundation of China.

The love-showing campaigns by the overseas Chinese people all over the world have fully shown the deep compassion of the overseas compatriots, who have blood ties with their original family home, to Chinese people at home. And their kind help expresses the overseas Chinese's humanism spirit of helping the needy and giving back to the society as well as their concern to the disaster area and dedication of people-oriented love. And their kind assistance also carries forward their fine tradition of caring the society. The history and the people in the disaster area will remember their kind support forever.

Recently the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of CPC and other four departments and committees jointly promulgate a document to raise specific requirements on the supervision and management of the relief money and goods. General Office of the State Council has also issued the Notification on the Management and Usage of Relief Monetary and Material Goods Donation, defining the fundamental principals to the Management and Usage of Relief Monetary and Material Goods Donation, which are Volunteer Donation, No Forced Apportion, Respect to Donator's Will, Embarked Funds for Exclusive Use, Collectively Planning, Emphasis on Key Issues, Open and Transparent, Strengthening Supervision. The Office will strictly follow the requirement of the Notification, strengthening the supervision on the relief money and goods, to ensure specifically management on special money, specific person specially assigned for its management, the match of account and money, the clarity of the account, the openness of the information as well as the transparency, to protect the legal rights and interests of donator and beneficiary in the disaster area.

It is the obligations authorized by the laws and responsibilities entrusted by the State Council that the Overseas Chinese Affairs Offices provide services to help overseas Chinese's donations to China's social welfare, according to "Welfare Donations Law of the People's Republic of China", "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Returned Overseas Chinese and the Family Members of Overseas Chinese" and "Measures for the Implementation of the Law", and other related laws and regulations. We will perform those duties seriously. In order to strengthen the managements, use and supervisions of goods and funds for earthquake relief donated by Overseas Chinese, we establish a leading group in Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council to oversee the managements and use of donated goods and funds. We set up and optimize rules and regulations, and put under full supervision every respect and link of the managements and use of materials and funds for earthquake relief.

We firmly believe that under the strong leadership by Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, we will be able to overcome current difficulties as a united one, and achieve the final victory of earthquake relief and rebuild our beautiful home with the unity will of Chinese people at home and abroad.

Now, my colleagues and I would like to answer questions regarding the work and responsibilities of OCAO of the State Council.