The "Let the China Spirit Fly High -- Fly a Kite, Fight SARS" campaign, which kicked off this weekend, was initiated by several companies including SOHO and Sina and got a response from over 100 companies during one week.

Kite flying is a special outdoor activity in Chinese culture, showing the nation's optimistic and tough attitude in the face of difficulties, said Wang Zimu, chairman of the board directors of Huatai Insurance Company.

"When the kites flew at the foot of the Great Wall, we held the strings tightly. One piece of string is not enough, but thousands of strings can be wrung into a rope," said Wang Boming, an expert of the China Securities Market Research Center. "One kite is lonely in the sky, but thousands of kites will break the black cloud of SARS."

"We hope to awaken people's spirits in the midst of adversity and to mobilize more people to be involved in the public affairs of the fight against SARS," said Ge Ming, chairman of Ernst & Young Company.

Zhang Xin, an official with SOHO China Ltd., noted that Chinese civilization has a heritage that is over 5,000 years old and has survived many crises of war and plagues.

"The 'China spirit' draws its strength and resilience from the profound understanding of the law of nature," said Zhang. "Chinese people discover humor in everyday life and offer generosity in times of crises. Every crisis has become an engine of progress for our civilization."

Zhang said Chinese people need not only material and medical support, but also the nation's unity.

"In the past 20 years, the economic miracle created by the Chinese through intelligence and hardships has impressed the world," she said. "We will also overcome this disease."

(people's Daily May 26, 2003)