China moves to ensure transparent use of quake-relief funds

China introduced a regulation to ensure transparent use of quake-relief funds Friday, a day after auditing authorities reported millions of yuan in quake-relief donations had not been turned in to the relevant organizations and agencies.

A regulation on the management and use of relief funds for Yushu earthquake, posted on the website of the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) Friday, requires civil affairs authorities and charity organizations to supervise and inform the public about the use of relief funds.

The use of donated funds should respect donors' will and win their approval, according to the regulation.

The regulation was introduced after the National Audit Office announced Thursday that some localities failed to hand in a total of 162 million yuan (23.9 million U.S. dollars) of registered donated quake-relief funds to the MCA, Red Cross Society of China and China Charities Federation as of July 9.

Yushu, located in northwest China's Qinghai Province, was devastated by a 7.1-magnitude quake on April 14. More than 2,200 people were killed in the quake and thousands of homes flattened.

As of July 9, China received nearly 10.66 billion yuan worth of donated funds and goods and had spent 814 million yuan of it, according to the NAO.

Source: Xinhua