As the saying goes, "When one place is in difficulty, help comes from all sides", after the spread of the news that the region of the Gulf of Mexico south of America was hit by hurricane, the situation of the victims of the natural calamity affected the hearts of the people of various countries, and nations worldwide have extended a helping hand.

After the occurrence of the hurricane disaster, the Chinese government immediately decided to provide the American people in the disaster areas with US$5 million worth of relief aid and a batch of urgently needed materials. The department concerned has also indicated that if necessary, China will increase its aid.

The United Nations (UN), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union (EU) and other international organizations and more than 20 countries have also started their aid plans. Among the countries that extend a helping hand to the United States, there are US allies like Britain, Canada and Japan, and Sri Lanka that suffered heavy losses from the tsunami late last year and received aid from the United States, and even country that is disliked and even seen as an opponent by the US government. Cuba has promised to provide the afflicted area with 1,000 medical workers, and Venezuela has indicated that it will provide humane and energy assistance worth over US$1 million. People of different skin colors and different national boundaries worldwide have made generous contribution of money, sending humanitarian loving care to the American people.

Perhaps the United States does not lack relief materials and money. The country is strong enough to solve the problem concerning the rescue and settlement of disaster victims and city reconstruction. Days ago, the US Congress approved a US$10.5 billion worth of aid, soon afterwards the Bush administration raised a request for additional funds of US$40 billion. It is estimated that the final input will possibly exceed US$100 billion. According to UN statistics, up to March 30, 2005, the amount of contribution promised by various countries and international organizations worldwide in aid to Southeast Asia hit by tsunami was no more than US$6.433 billion.

However, there is something more valuable than money in the world, and that is the spirit of cherishing ardent love for humanity and for life. "The amount of money is limited, but this is an expression of my regard", that is a common remark the Chinese say while helping others. An aid is an expression of the feeling of loving care. The world's people are extending a helping hand to the United States, the only superpower in the world. This has transcended the meaning of economic aid, it mostly displays human morality and the humanistic spirit, and this is exactly what is most needed by our world that is continuously accelerating realization of economic globalization.

Today, economic globalization is dominated by developed countries in the West and their transnational corporations. It has brought about fierce competition, triggered conflicts of interest and impacted the original cultural and economic living environment. People need more balanced development, need a more harmonious living environment and need more loving care and communication.

As the world civilization has developed to this date, more attention should be paid to the living condition of mankind. When some non-traditional security threats, such as hurricane, typhoon, floods, environmental pollution and epidemic diseases, keep increasing, our personal perception of the "smallness of the world" has become deeper and deeper. It is impossible for any one country to rely merely on its own strength to cope with all knotty problems. Strengthening cooperation has become our necessary choice, showing concern for each other is the foundation for people in the same boat to help each other.

The process from the colossal aid after Southeast Asia was hit by tsunami to today's world extending a helping hand to the United States predicts that a "people-oriented" international opinion environment is taking shape step by step. This spiritual strength is extending from non-governmental level to political level and it will certainly exert important influence on the future of the world. Just as the words of a pop song that run like this, "The world is so wonderful only because there is love in it".

This article by senior editor Ding Gang of People's Daily Overseas Edition is carried on the front page of this newspaper September 8 and translated by People's Daily Online