May 15, 2008 -- Foreign businesses, organizations and embassies reacted quickly after the Monday earthquake with offers of aid and support.
On Wednesday, General Electric announced a US$2 million donation. Of this, 10 million yuan was in cash to the Chinese Red Cross. The remaining US$600,000 will be in the form of donated equipment and services to the disaster-hit area. According to the company, 150 employees were in the area affected by the quakes, but all have been accounted for.
"The extent of the destruction and loss of life brought about in just a few short minutes is hard to comprehend," said Bob Corcoran, vice president of corporate citizenship, in a statement. "We are relieved to know our employees in China are safe, and their quick response to this crisis exemplifies the best of GE people everywhere."
GE has mobilized local field support engineers to help with immediate restoration of power, water and hospital systems, the company said.
Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee announced a US$1 million pledge to support emergency relief and reconstruction in affected areas, the organization announced Tuesday.
"I am deeply saddened for all those affected and I want to express my solidarity with the Chinese people," said IOC president Jacques Rogge in a statement. "It seems to be a huge disaster, the extent of which has only begun to be measured. We extend our deepest condolences to the victims."
Companies with a presence in China -- such as Carrefour -- have been among the first to declare donations. In addition to Carrefour's 2 million yuan pledge, Hong Kong-based investment group CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets -- announced an initial 2 million donation at its annual China forum, held in Shanghai this week.
"It's clearly a very, very sad day," CLSA chairman Rob Morrison told a press conference Tuesday. "CLSA extends its deepest sympathies to the people in Sichuan."
The money will come from a charitable fund established by CLSA to channel its own contributions as well as those of its clients.
Some of these donations have been coming through overseas channels.
Toronto's TD Bank Financial Group donated $50,000 to the Canadian Red Cross China Earthquake fund, for example.
"Many of our employees and customers have strong ties to China including family and friends," said bank VP Scott Mullin, in a statement. "We want to do our part to help by supporting relief efforts already underway."

Meanwhile, HSBC donated 10 million yuan through the Hong Kong branch of the Red Cross Society of China.

On Thursday, the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai reported that chamber members have donated over 13 million yuan to disaster relief, led by Johnson & Johnson's 10 million yuan donation.
As of Thursday morning, Russia had delivered two batches of humanitarian aid to Chengdu, totaling about 85 tonnes of tents, blankets and other supplies, reported the state-owned Xinhua newswire.
The relief materials will be airdropped to the worst-hit areas, Sichuan province officials told the newswire.
Five foreign embassies have already offered aid, China's Commerce Department told the state-owned People's Daily newspaper Wednesday. The Japanese embassy pledged about 500 million yen, the U.K. pledged 1 million pounds of relief supplies. South Korea pledged US$1 million in aid. The Italian embassy is preparing to send a field hospital and rescue supplies, the newspaper reported.
Meanwhile, the UN's International Children's Fund pledged US$300,000 in emergency aid to be used for first-aid, tents, and other relief supplies.
Preliminary list of foreign donors contributing to earthquake-related disaster relief efforts:
• Acer: 3 million yuan
• Alcoa: 1 million yuan
• AMD: 1 million yuan
• Applied Materials: donated 1 million yuan of disaster relief
• Bayer: donated medical equipment worth 500,000 yuan
• BMW: 1 million yuan
• Bridgestone (China): 300,000 yuan for earthquake relief and rescue
• Canon Group: 11 million yuan
• Carlsberg: 1 million to the Red Cross
• Carrefour: 2 million yuan
• CNET China: 500,000 yuan
• DaimlerChrysler: 400,000 yuan
• Dell China: 2.1 million yuan
• DHL: 1 million yuan
• Dongfeng Honda: 1 million in cash and two CR-V
• Dow Chemical: 2 million yuan
• Epson: 1 million yuan
• Ericsson: 4 million yuan in emergency communications equipment
• Estee Lauder: 1 million yuan
• FAW and Toyota: 10 million yuan and 10 relief vehicles
• GE: US$2 million
• Guangzhou Honda: 1 million yuan
• Hitachi Construction Machinery: 6.7 million yuan
• HSBC: 10 million yuan to the Red Cross
• IDG: 1 million yuan
• Intel: 2.1 million yuan
• Johnson & Johnson: 10 million
• Kimberly-Clark Corporation: 400,000 yuan
• Komatsu Group: 6 million yuan
• Konica Minolta Group: 300,000 yuan
• Kraft: 3 million yuan of food
• Li Ka Shing Foundation: 30 million yuan
• Louis Vuitton: 2 million yuan
• Mary Kay: 3 million yuan
• Matsushita Electric: 10 million yuan
• Michelin China Investment Co. Ltd.: 500,000 yuan
• Microsoft: 1 million yuan in cash, plus 3 million yuan in other kinds of aid
• Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.: 15 million yen (about £75,000) to the Red Cross Society of China.
• Nokia and Nuoxi: 3 million yuan and 4,000 emergency phones
• Japan's Omron Corp.: 30 million yen to Red Cross Society of China, 250,000 yuan worth of medical equipment to the Chinese Ministry of Health
• P & G: 1 million yuan
• Pepsi China: 1 million yuan
• Peugeot Citroen: 1 million yuan
• Pfizer: 10 million yuan
• Philips: 2 million yuan
• QUALCOMM: 3.5 million yuan
• Red Bull: 3 million yuan, 150,000 yuan worth of aid supplies
• SAIC-GM-Wuling: 1 million yuan
• Samsung: 30 million yuan
• Schneider Electric: 3 million yuan assistance
• Scotiabank: $100,000
• Shanghai General Motors: 3 million yuan
• Siemens China: 2 million yuan
• Sony: over 4 million yuan
• Sony Group 4 million contribution to the disaster areas are still increasing staff contributions
• South Korean SK Group contributions to 10 million yuan
• Taiwan Runtai big Runfa Company donated 50 million yuan
• Taiwan's Foxconn Technology to the disaster areas in Sichuan money donated 60 million yuan
• Taiwan's Hon Hai Group contributions to 60 million yuan
• TCL Group contributions to the earthquake-stricken Wenchuan 1 million yuan
• TD Bank Financial Group: $50,000 to Canadian Red Cross China Earthquake Fund
• UBS and UBS Securities will contribute 1 million yuan
• UBS Investment Fund Company contributions to the disaster areas in Sichuan 500,000 yuan
• Volkswagen jointly Sichuan disaster areas to the north-south public donated 6 million yuan

Sources: Sina.com, press releases