Private Chinese companies have donated more than 10 million yuan (about US$1.38 million) to snow-stricken areas, according to the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

China Society for Promotion of Guangcai Program (CSPGP), an association established by delegates from the private sector, and other private companies made the donation in cash or donated clothes on Sunday.

Hu Deping, deputy head of the department and CSPGP vice chairman, said it was time for companies to show their social responsibility.

Also on Sunday, Huang Mengfu, All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC) chairman, urged all Chinese private companies to take action in combating the snow havoc.

Huang said private companies have made donations to disaster-stricken areas, went to railway stations to help stranded passengers, and arranged the daily lives for its employees who failed to return home for family reunion during the Spring Festival.

"The private companies will also provide job vacancies to people in snowstorm-hit regions to help them recover from the disaster," Hu said.

The snow, the heaviest in decades in many places, has been falling in China's eastern, central and southern regions for almost three weeks. It has caused death, structural collapse, blackouts, accidents, transport problems and livestock and crop destruction.

(Xinhua News Agency February 4, 2008)