International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge (L) hands over a 4-million-U.S.-dollar cheque to Li Chongxi, deputy secretary of Sichuan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Aug. 2, 2008. Rogge handed over a 4-million-U.S.-dollar cheque on Saturday to China's quake-hit Sichuan Province. In the meantime, the Beijing Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (BOCOG) and the Chinese Olympic Committee donated 2 million U.S. dollars each for earthquake relief. (Xinhua/Wang Jianhua)?

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge handed over a 4-million-U.S.-dollar cheque on Saturday to China's quake-hit Sichuan Province.

In the meantime, the Beijing Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (BOCOG) and the Chinese Olympic Committee donated 2 million U.S. dollars each for earthquake relief.

Addressing the donation ceremony at the Great Hall of the People, Rogge said the donation demonstrated the Olympic spirit, hoping it would help people there in their reconstruction of a better homeland.

Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) President Liu Peng (L) hands over a 2-million-U.S.-dollar cheque to Li Chongxi, deputy secretary of Sichuan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Aug. 2, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)

Sichuan provincial official Li Chongxi appreciated the care and support from the Olympic family as he accepted the cheques on behalf of the 88 million people in Sichuan.

He said the donation would be used to build an Olympic school in Deyang city of Sichuan to train athletes and spread the Olympic spirit.

BOCOG President Liu Qi, Chinese Olympic Committee President Liu Peng and Beijing Mayor Guo Jinlong were among the officials attending the donation ceremony.

The IOC had earlier donated 1 million U.S. dollars for relief in the areas hit by the May 12 earthquake, which had left 69,207 dead and 18,194 missing as of the end of July.

(Xinhua News Agency August 3, 2008)