Macao Fok Ying Tung Charity Foundation on Wednesday donated 50 million yuan (about US$6.6 million) to finance a project which plans to build 1,000 rural clinics in Chinese mainland.

In a ceremony held in Beijing, the foundation presented the donation to China Overseas Friendship Association (COFA), organizer of the project who has planned to complete the project within the upcoming five years.

Dr. Fok Ying Tung, a well-known entrepreneur and philanthropist in Hong Kong, set up Fok Ying Tung Foundation to contribute to the development of the mainland.

He donated all his shares (27.7 percent) in Sociedadede Turismoe Diversoesde Macao to set up the Macao Fok Ying Tung Charity Foundation in 2002 to help boost infrastructure development in the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao.

At the donation ceremony, Liu Yandong, head of the United Front Department of the CPC Central Committee, highly praised Fok Ying Tung's important contributions to Hong Kong and the country in his life.

Liu also appreciated the generous donation by Fok's descendants who follow Fok's model to support the "one country, two systems" policy and actively participate in social and economic affairs in Hong Kong.

Fok Ying Tung died of illness at 84 on October 28, 2006 in Beijing. To memorize the anniversary of Fok's passing away, a biography of Fok Ying Tung has been published in the mainland.

Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, wrote the prologue of the biography and met Fok's descendants before a seminar for the biography held on Wednesday in Beijing.

(Cnsphoto, Xinhua News Agency November 1, 2007)