China to provide 5 mln yuan worth of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine

I know the title is the title on the actual article, but it&#x27;s the Chinese Red Cross, not China itself. National Red Cross Societies are independent of the country&#x27;s government. They may receive government funding but they decide what they do with the money themselves.<p>From <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.ifrc.org&#x2F;fundamental-principles" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.ifrc.org&#x2F;fundamental-principles</a><p>&quot;The Movement is independent. The National Societies, while auxiliaries in the humanitarian services of their governments and subject to the laws of their respective countries, must always maintain their autonomy so that they may be able at all times to act in accordance with the principles of the Movement.&quot;

5 million RMB is only 800k USD. For comparison, a livestream star in China can sell $2 billion worth of goods in a day. China has over 1 billion people. The country is donating what is amount to 1 FANG employee&#x27;s annual salary. This amount is like giving a penny just to appear neutral to both sides. They are donating to buy the argument that they care.<p>Update: For those still unconvinced, a neighboring economy with equivalent to <i>5%</i> of China&#x27;s GDP donated 27 tons of medical supplies. Anyone with knowledge want to calculate the market value of each ton of medical supply?

Wondering if any geopolitical experts on HN can take a stab at explaining this move? From my rudimentary understanding, China was (has been) allied with Russia behind the scenes in this move against Ukraine.<p>Is this a hedge to maintain a good reputation and a good working relationship with the world by using this action as a: &quot;Hey, look we helped Ukraine in its time of need&quot;?<p><i>&gt; China has refused to describe Russia&#x27;s activities in Ukraine as invasion.</i>

This is about $1M right? A few orders of magnitude below what others are providing while feeding the boot that stomps on the humans in need of said humanitatian assistance. Hey it&#x27;s a start but China the world is watching you

Sorry to disappoint you guys but the Chinese Red Cross is just another Chinese government department, more specifically, according to Chinese domestic laws, it is a Chinese government department with Sub-Provincial (Ministerial) level.<p>It is current President is Chen Zhu who was China&#x27;s Minister of Health, he is also a current vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People&#x27;s Congress, which according to the wikipedia is &quot;the highest organ of state power and the legislature of China&quot;. Chinese Red Cross&#x27;s current honorary President is Wang Qishan, the vice President of China &amp; the right hand man of Xi.

Donate to the UK Red Cross Ukraine appeal here:<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;donate.redcross.org.uk&#x2F;appeal&#x2F;ukraine-crisis-appeal" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;donate.redcross.org.uk&#x2F;appeal&#x2F;ukraine-crisis-appeal</a>

Why is this news?<p>The Netherlands with ~ 20 million people donated over 100 million in 1 donation this week.<p>That&#x27;s more than 100 x more in absolute numbers and china has over 1 billion people.<p>Anyone wants to compare relative difference per capita? Since this is not even newsworthy in absolute numbers.<p>Probably it&#x27;s a record low in relative numbers.

Even assuming this is the Chinese government providing the funds, through the Chinese Red Cross, this donation of just $800k seems to me a case of &quot;damned by faint praise&quot;.<p>If it&#x27;s the Chinese Red Cross independent of government, then it&#x27;s a relatively generous donation for an ngo branch that is not even in the same region, perhaps thumbing their nose at the lack of Chinese govt. support.

Red Cross Society of China website (in Chinese): <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.redcross.org.cn&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.redcross.org.cn&#x2F;</a><p>You can see quite a few references to the party.<p>Red Cross Society of China information on IFRC: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.ifrc.org&#x2F;national-societies-directory&#x2F;red-cross-society-china" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.ifrc.org&#x2F;national-societies-directory&#x2F;red-cross-...</a>

Why is this on the front page instead of the billions of dollars that the US and Europeans are giving?

And if devil can make some good it should help to condemn Russia. 5m is nothing. Not condemn and encouragement … sigh.

so $800K USD to help Ukraine for humanitarian while purchasing billions of dollars of gas etc from Russia where the sanction is occurring?

Good initiatives, helping people who are in need.