No place for farce in charity

A person kneeling for a donation may fetch press coverage, but for those in dire need, this tactic should be replaced by a proper safety net from the government, insurance companies and formal charities.

On June 30, a young man made headlines by kneeling in front of a corporate building to request financial help from its top executive.

Mo Xiangsong, a 21-year-old college student in Chengdu, Sichuan province, had been diagnosed with leukemia and unable to pay the medical bills. He sought help from New Hope Group - a prominent agribusiness operator headquartered locally, which boasts on its website of annual sales of around $8.8 billion.