Chinese Americans help typhoon victims in Taiwan

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-08-15 13:51

LOS ANGELES: Chinese Americans in Southern California, in disregard of their origins and political preferences, have started a relief campaign in the communities they live to help victims hit by the worst typhoon in Taiwan in half a century.

It is reported that Typhoon Morakot had killed at least 117 people as of 10 am Friday, but Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou said Friday the death toll could reach 500 with about 380 more victims in Kaohsiung's Hsiaolin village.

Morakot also left at least 59 people missing and 45 injured, devastating some central and southern parts of the island.

The Chinese media in Southern California have spent a lot of efforts to cover the disaster and the damage of the flood has shocked many Chinese Americans.

A Taiwan flood relief preparatory committee represented by over 50 Chinese American organizations originated from the Chinese mainland and from Taiwan was formed on Thursday to coordinate the relief activities by different organizations.

The preparatory committee has scheduled a fund raising dinner on August 23 to raise money.

Individual donations are pouring in through different channels.

Chinese Daily News has announced that reporters and staff members from the Chinese language newspaper would donate one day's income for the flood relief fund.

The paper has also set up flood relief accounts in Los Angeles , New York and San Francisco to accept donations from its readers.

Chinese language television and radio stations have also held and will hold fund raising events to raise money for the flood victims.

The Chinese American Federation in Southern California has started relief efforts among Chinese Americans mainly from the Chinese mainland.

Chen Yuan, president of the Chinese American Federation, said Chinese from both sides of the Taiwan Strait have been helping each other in the past.

He recalled that 10 years ago when Taiwan was hit by a disastrous earthquake on September 21, Chinese from the mainland and Taiwan jointly launched fund raising events to raise money for the earthquake relief.

Last year, when the western Chinese province of Sichuan was hit by the disastrous earthquake, many Chinese Americans from Taiwan extended their helping hands to donate money and other materials needed by the victims.

"This time when people in Taiwan suffered from the most serious damages from typhoon, Chinese Americans originated from the Chinese mainland will certainly show our support to them like brothers and sisters," said Chen.

All America Chinese Youth Federation and other Chinese youth organizations have called on Chinese American youth in the country to donate one day's income to help the Taiwan flood victims. Fundraising events will be held during the weekend.

Those youth organizations also called on the young Chinese Americans to donate their time to help the flood victims to show their love to their brothers and sisters.

China Airline (from Taiwan) employees in Los Angeles have announced that they would donate one day's income to the Taiwan flood victims. The airline's Los Angeles office has promised to air ship relief materials for free donated by Chinese Americans in the United States.

KCAL Insurance Agency has cooperated with Souplantation, a vegetarian chain food restaurant in eight cities, to start a fund raising campaign. The restaurant will donate 15 percent of the profits on August 17 to the Taiwan flood victims and KCAL Insurance Agency will donate a match fund.

Kenny Chang, president of KCAL Insurance Agency, said he has informed over 20,000 clients to join the relief efforts to help flood victims in Taiwan to tide over the most difficult time.

Chinese American organizations in San Diego have also formed a Taiwan flood relief committee to coordinate fund raising efforts by different organizations.

Churches and other religious organizations have also made efforts to raise money for the flood relief.

"Simply Help," "TB World Foundation" and "ICare Foundation" have decided to hold a fund raising evening on August 26. The event will be broadcast live by a local Chinese TV station and all the money raised on that night will go to help the Taiwan flood victims.