Taipei approves Chinese philanthropist's charity visit

Jan 25, 2011, 11:33 GMT

Taipei - Taiwan's authorities Tuesday approved a visit by a Chinese businessman who was to personally distribute 500 million Taiwan dollars (16 million US dollars) in cash to the island's poor.

Despite some officials' reluctance, the National Immigration Agency Tuesday decided to give the go-ahead to Chen Guangbiao, the president of the Jiangsu Renewable Energy Company.

'There are mixed reactions to his visit, and after discussion, we have decided to allow him to come to Taiwan,' said Ho Jung-chun, deputy director general of the agency.

But any cash handout sessions would still need the authorization of local authorities. 'It is up to local governments to decide whether to allow the distribution of funds or not,' Ho said.

Lee Chao-chih, deputy magistrate of northern Taoyuan County, said his office was inclined to refuse. 'The way the donor wants to distribute the funds actually hurts the dignity of the needy.'

Chen's brand of philanthropy was 'quite different from the low-key practices which are done locally,' he said.

The magistrate of nearby Hsinchu said his government would gladly welcome the project, because 'some poor families in the county really need the funds ahead of the Lunar Chinese New Year,' which is to fall on February 3.

In the south of the island, the mayors of Taipei and Kaohsiung said they welcomed the initiative but would prefer that the funds be donated through local charities out of respect and discretion.

Chen has said he plans to lead a delegation of 47 Chinese businessmen to Taiwan for a four-day visit from Saturday.

With the permission of local governments, he would give each poor person or low-income family 10,000 Taiwan dollars (333 US dollars), organizers said.

Local governments would be asked to select their eligible poor and assemble them for the cash handout, they said.

Chen, 43, has been doing charity work for 10 years and has been called the country's top philanthropist in the Chinese media.

He is reported to donate 20 per cent of his company's earnings to charity each year, in addition to his fund-raising activities, insisting that the proceeds go directly to those in need.

It is not that he does not trust aid organizations, he said, merely that he wants the money to reach people directly and quickly.

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