Jet Li raises funds for quake-ravaged Chinese residents

New Delhi, May 28 : Chinese martial artist Jet Li is fighting for the quake-ravaged Sichuan residents these days, raising funds to support disaster relief efforts in the region.

Li's One Foundation, which he established jointly with the Red Cross Society of China, recently organised a charity dinner and auction night to raise money for the purpose.

He revealed that a total of 3.1 million yuan was raised during the event.

Li credited the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai for helping organize 75 companies to participate in the fundraiser.

"By the name of One Foundation, we want to say in spite of differences in language, culture, and region, we are one family," the China Daily quoted him as saying.

An official autographed basketball signed by NBA star Yao Ming and fellow members of the Houston Rockets franchise, two business class air tickets on Air New Zealand's direct flight to Auckland, VIP tickets to a Team USA basketball match at the Beijing Olympics, and a bottle of Hennessy personally signed by Maurice Hennessy were some of the items that were put up for sale at the auction.

The sales proceeds from the auction went straight to the One Foundation.

Li said that over 500 volunteers were helping the foundation in distributing relief supplies to victims.

He said that they had already handed out 30,000 pieces of relief supplies to victims, and that he personally led distribution work.

He also revealed that the foundation had plans to take teams of psychology, reconstruction and healthcare experts to the quake-hit regions within 10 days.

Li revealed that their post-disaster work would focus on sponsoring and supporting the elderly, orphans and disabled.

ANI