China's major commercial bank donates funds to support charity activities in South Africa

CAPE TOWN, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC)'s Africa Representative Office on Friday donated funds to South Africa Soong Ching Ling Foundation to support the latter's charity activities in South Africa.

The funds, which were donated in the Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Cape Town, were raised by voluntary contributions from Chinese staff members at ICBC's Africa representative office.

The Chinese enterprises and community in South Africa have been contributing to the long-standing friendship between the two countries, as well as the close bond between the two peoples, said Chinese Consul-General in Cape Town Lin Jing, adding that the donation is an example of Chinese enterprises' commitment to social responsibility, giving back and mutual development in South Africa.

South Africa Soong Ching Ling Foundation, a Chinese public welfare foundation's overseas branch, is a model of civil organizations that promotes people-to-people exchanges as it devotes itself to charity work for South African women and children, said the envoy.

Li Li, ICBC's Chief Representative Officer of Africa Representative Office, said ICBC has been actively devoting to public welfare in terms of poverty alleviation, education, voluntary work, among others, and this donation shows that staff members of Chinese enterprises in South Africa takes responsibility of supporting public welfare and social development in the country.

Chen Qing, head of South Africa Soong Ching Ling Foundation, said the foundation will continue doing charity, contributing to friendship between the two peoples.

South Africa Soong Ching Ling Foundation, which raises funds from the Chinese community, made around five donations towards vulnerable children and schools each year before the pandemic. In 2013, it funded a 1,000 square meter building of Baphumelele Orphanage in Cape Town's impoverished township Khayelitsha, which has dormitories and other functions.