April 22, 2013
No. 28
Following the devastating earthquake that recently shook the Mainland city of Ya'an in Sichuan Province and caused severe casualties, the Executive Yuan decided today (April 22nd) to donate a humanitarian aid of 1 million USD in reference to the Mainland earthquake in Yushu, Qinghai Province and the landslide disaster in Zhouqu, Gansu Province. The funds will be forwarded to the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) through the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) to assist local earthquake reconstruction work.
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) today convened a meeting joined by the Ministry of the Interior, Department of Health, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, SEF and major domestic charities for liaison and coordination on assistance provided following the Ya'an earthquake by both government and private sector. The meeting was held to help gain full picture of each charity organizations’ disaster relief plans, reconstruction plans, and preparation and input so that resources could be efficiently allocated for disaster assistance whenever requested by the Mainland.
The MAC again extended concern and condolences on behalf of the ROC government over the heavy casualties in the Ya'an earthquake and stated that it would provide various assistances if needed by the Mainland side. The MAC also pointed out that, public donations may be made through existing private charity channels so as to help victims regain normal life as soon as possible.