China's private enterprises have taken an active role in social causes and become a key force of charity in the nation, a newly released charity list shows.

In the China Charity Ranking issued by China Philanthropy Times at the end of last month, 426 of the 899 (47 percent) enterprises that donated more than 1 million yuan last year were owned by Chinese entrepreneurs.

Charity from those private businesses totaled 5 billion yuan.

The Century Golden Resources Group, an industrial conglomerate engaged in real estate, hospitality, shopping malls, mine exploration and finance and operated by Huang Rulun and his son Huang Tao, was ranked fifth on the list. The transnational company donated 274 million yuan to various philanthropic programs in 2008.

Property developer Dalian Wanda and Tianjin Rockcheck Steel ranked sixth and 11th, respectively, with donations at 149 million yuan and 11 million yuan.

The rankings have been an annual event since 2004 and are supported by the Ministry of Civil Affairs and relevant government and academic institutions.

Wang Zhenyao, director with the Social Welfare and Charity Promotion Department under the Ministry of Civil Affairs, pointed out that the May 12, 2008 Sichuan earthquake made charity a focus of society last year.

"Private entrepreneurs, who grew up in China and have benefited from the country's opening-up policies, have walked up to shoulder their responsibility to give back," he said.

Such active participation also demonstrates the business strength of China's private enterprises, Wang said.

Private businesses currently make up around 60 percent of enterprises in China, and contributed over half of China's GDP last year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

Besides corporate donations, many private entrepreneurs themselves were devoted to benevolent causes last year. The 2008 China Charity Ranking listed the top 10 philanthropic business people, who are engaged in businesses ranging from recycle resources and real estate to finance, steel, publishing and entertainment.

Li Zhaohui, chairman and general manager of Shanxi Highsee Iron and Steel Group Co Ltd, ranked ninth on the list. Li took over his father's business in 2002 and developed Highsee into one of the top 500 enterprises in China and one of the nation's 50 leading iron, steel and metallurgy companies.

The China Charity Ranking showed that the 29-year-old individually offered 60.79 million yuan to charity in 2008, with 10.79 million yuan for earthquake relief and 50 million yuan to set up Haicang Charity Fund in his father's name.

The young philanthropist raised another 50 million yuan last year, expanding the fund into a 100-million-yuan charity organization.

(China Daily 05/04/2009 page10)