Charity can't have strings attached

For quite a few China-based businesses located far away from where the recent Sichuan earthquake took place, the damage caused by the quake may have been more serious than for the companies based in the epicenter.

They have become targets of China's Internet democracy for having been slow or seemingly stingy in their donations and aid to the disaster-hit communities. And some, which have been unable to deal with the public relations crisis adequately, are close to a humiliating loss of face.

Public sentiments appeared strong when individual citizens began to rush humanitarian aid to the quake victims, in hoping that they would be joined by all businesses, international and domestic. They seemed adamant on their right to know if the companies usually with sales in mass volumes were willing to stand on their side.