One of China's richest women has donated 1 million yuan (US$123,000) worth of aid to a disaster relief fund, its biggest ever bulk donation since the charity drive was launched.

President Hu Jintao set up the drive to aid victims of disasters across China.

Aid donated by Chan Laiwa, curator of the China Red Sandalwood Museum and president of Hong Kong-based Fuwah Int'l HK Group, includes 50 tons of flour, 2,000 quilts and 2,000 down feather clothes and other living necessities, to needy people.

Twelve lorries loaded with the items set off from the museum yesterday morning to the civil affairs department in Beijing after a brief ceremony.

"I was moved when watching TV news on Tuesday evening that said Chinese leaders took the lead in helping victims of natural disasters," said Chan, who is also member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

"This is the first donation in such a large amount in the capital," Li Jisuo, director of Beijing donation affairs centre, told China Daily after the short donation ceremony.

All the materials will be sent to Anhui and Jiangxi provinces, where natural disasters have left thousands in miserable conditions, he said.

"No difficulties can't be resolved if everyone offers a helping hand to the needy," said Chan, 64, who believed that more entrepreneurs and people would follow her lead in the near future.

The civil affairs department in Beijing expects to receive more than 800,000 winter clothes by December 20 when the charity drive comes to an end, according to Li, adding that the donated materials will be sent to disaster-hit regions before the end of the month.

In 2002, Forbes magazine made Chan fifth on its list of the richest 100 Chinese (of which only three were women), and the wealthiest Chinese woman.

To mark her dedication to Chinese charity and public welfare, Chan was recently selected as one of the Top 10 Exemplary Figures in 2005.

(China Daily December 16, 2005)