Chinese Americans in LA chip in for quake victims

LOS ANGELES - A Chinese American group in Los Angeles on Friday collected about $71,900 in donation for the victims in the recent deadly earthquake in China's Sichuan province.

"It is not big money but it shows our love for the people of Sichuan who have been victimized in the April 20 earthquake," said Danny Lu, secretary general of the Global Unified Chinese Organizations from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

A total of 22 organizations in the Los Angeles area joined the efforts to raise money for the earthquake victims, he added.

"We want people in the earthquake-hit area to feel the love and sympathy from us who are living on the other side of the ocean. ... We Chinese Americans, whether from Vietnam, Cambodia or Laos, are behind them," Lu said.

Qiu Shaofang, Chinese consul general in Los Angeles, promised that he would transfer the money to Sichuan through the Foreign Ministry. Most importantly, he said, he will convey the love of those Chinese Americans to the people in Sichuan.

"I am deeply moved by the Chinese Americans here in Los Angeles because they make their donations out of their own will. No one has made any appeals for donations, but those people want to do something for the earthquake victims, and I really appreciate what they have done," said Qiu.

The April 20 earthquake, measuring 7.0-magnitude, killed at least 196 people and left 13,000 others injured.