Chinese philanthropist's cash handout creates stir in Taiwan

Jan 27, 2011, 13:22 GMT

Taipei - Chinese philanthropist Chen Guangbiao Thursday started his charity trip to Taiwan, creating a stir with many needy on their knees asking for money.

On his first stop in Hsinchu in northern Taiwan he was surrounded by waves of elderly people, single mothers, unemployed and even nuns.

'I didn't sleep last night and I was waiting here to see you,' said Yen, a 67-year-old woman, who stopped Chen when he stepped out of his Taipei hotel.

Chen gave her a red packet containing 50,000 Taiwan dollars (1,724 US dollars) after she showed a certificate proving she came from a low-income family.

The philanthropist, who arrived in Taipei Wednesday for a week-long charity visit, gave her two extra packets of 10,000 Taiwan dollars each when she said she had an 88-year-old blind mother and a sister living with her.

'I hope all of you in the family can have a healthy and happy Chinese New Year,' Chen said. The lunar New Year is celebrated on February 3.

In Hsinchu Chen, 43, handed out 6.7 million Taiwan dollars.

Chen was scheduled to hand out cash at least five other stops, giving out a total of 500 million Taiwan dollars to the island's poor, aided by lists of low-income families supplied by local governments.

The high-profile charity trip met with mixed reactions in Taipei, with some calling his act 'hypocritical' for the publicity that came with it.

Chen also plans to sign a long-term contract to buy fish from Taiwan fish farmers and will discuss options for opening a branch of his renewable energy company.

He is reported to donate 20 per cent of his company's earnings to charity each year, in addition to his fund-raising activities.

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