November 2009 | By Jane Leung Larson
When a massive earthquake hit Sichuan in May 2008 and killed almost 90,000 people, the Committee of 100 quickly mobilized its members to respond. The C-100 China Earthquake Fund administered by Give2Asia raised nearly $850,000 for immediate relief and long-term reconstruction. Grants were made to local organizations in Sichuan to help educate children whose schools had been destroyed, provide scholarships to nearly 100 students at the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and help families and individuals become economically self-sustaining through new business activity. See this Committee Bridges November 2008 article for more details.
The links below give a sense of continuing American concern about the earthquake and its aftermath, including a report on Give2Asia’s philanthropic efforts and recent U.S.-China government cooperation (National Institute of Standards and Technology).
“China Earthquake Relief and Recovery”
Give2Asia
July 29, 2009
One year ago, a major earthquake struck central China with a magnitude of 7.9 centered in Wenchuan County in Sichuan Province, and was felt in Beijing and other major Asian cities. . . .
The challenges that continue to lie ahead for these survivors require significant, sustained resources for delivering education and health care, rebuilding infrastructure, and restoring local economies, in addition to ensuring basic needs are met, such as clean water and food.
Give2Asia’s work with partners and donors has resulted in $13.3 million in total committed contributions, with $11.7 million received to date and $10.9 million granted to China. . . .
[Summaries of projects follow]
“NIST [National Institute of Standards and Technology] Signs U.S.-China Cooperative Agreement on Earthquake and Volcano Sciences”
NIST Tech Beat
October 20, 2009
In the aftermath of the Sichuan Earthquake that occurred in China this past year and its high number of casualties, which included many children, the United States and China have signed a protocol for cooperation on earthquake and volcano sciences. This protocol was signed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the U.S., and the Chinese Earthquake Administration (CEA) and the National Natural Science Foundation (NSFC) of the Peoples' Republic of China. . . .
The signing took place during the week of the U.S.-China Science & Technology (S&T) Joint Commission Meeting led by John Holdren, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the signing of the U.S.-China S&T Agreement on cooperation in science and technology.
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