China Focus: Red Cross Society of China enjoys domestic, global acclaim

BEIJING -- A team wearing signature red vests has become a familiar sight at Saiyuntai, a community in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan province.

Navigating the streets and lanes, they assist the elderly residents in need, provide one-on-one support to students facing financial difficulties, and help build the community.

These dedicated individuals are volunteers from a local Red Cross branch. Their leader, Qiu Zuowei, described themselves as the "last mile" in connecting and serving the public. "We hope that through our efforts, the warmth of inclusive benefits can reach everyone."

This is a snapshot of how Red Cross societies in China have integrated their care and rescue services deeply into the daily lives of the public. In a document issued in May 2020, the Red Cross Society of China urged its branches at all levels to enhance the capabilities of their grassroots teams for improved public service.

This year marks the 120th anniversary of the founding of the RCSC. To date, there are around 204,000 Red Cross organizations operating at the grassroots level, with more than 17 million members and 2.93 million volunteers actively engaging in humanitarian services in urban and rural communities. They have become a vital force within China's volunteer service system.

One Red Cross medical initiative, for example, has invested 2.7 billion yuan (about $380 million) over the past 20 years and successfully saved more than 90,000 children from blood cancer or congenital heart defects. Another initiative designed to empower women in financial difficulties has trained 26,000 women to support them in e-commerce start-ups and employment opportunities.

Over the years, Chinese Red Cross societies have expanded their reach to provide more timely service, including deploying over 65,000 automated external defibrillators nationwide in spaces like subway stations and sports stadiums to treat individuals whose hearts have suddenly stopped functioning.

Red Cross societies also promote first-aid knowledge and have trained more than 15.26 million people in China in essential skills. For example, in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong province, over 230 real estate agency branches also serve as first-aid stations, while in Yixing, East China's Jiangsu province, delivery couriers can provide both delivery services and first-aid assistance. In addition, residents in the east Chinese city of Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, can turn to a digital platform for emergency assistance, when needed.

Increased information technology integration has been a priority for Red Cross societies in recent years. In a document released in December 2020, the RCSC vowed to build "digital Red Cross societies" to raise operational efficiency and transparency.

So far, they have launched an online donation system and an information disclosure platform. Their project management information system covers Red Cross societies at the county and district levels, making all projects searchable and traceable.

The goal is to ensure every act of love and kindness is delivered in the light of day, said the RCSC.

DISASTER RESCUE & RELIEF

When a 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit Jishishan in Northwest China's Gansu province at 11:59 pm on Dec 18, 2023, the Red Cross societies in the province and bordering regions, including Ningxia, Shaanxi and Xinjiang, sprang into action in about five minutes.

By 9 am the following day, the first batch of rescue and relief supplies had reached the county. At night, a team of Red Cross rescuers from neighboring Ningxia arrived, showcasing the efficiency of the regional coordination mechanism among Chinese Red Cross societies in real world situations.

So far, the RCSC boasts 1,088 rescue and relief teams across the country, with approximately 30,000 core members and over 100,000 volunteers. Among them are 29 national-level rescue teams, which have become an important force in the country's emergency rescue.

Since its inception, the RCSC has played an important role in major disaster relief and the protection of lives and health in other countries and regions. After a devastating earthquake struck Türkiye and Syria on Feb 6, 2023, the RCSC was among the first partners to contact the International Committee of the Red Cross to offer cooperation and support, providing urgent humanitarian aid to both countries.

The RCSC's work has won wide acclaim in the international community. In 2022, it received the Henry Davison Award, the highest distinction from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

As the oldest humanitarian organization in China, the RCSC has contributed to China's development and offered the rest of the world a window on how China is contributing to the international humanitarian cause over the years.

Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, president of the ICRC, said China is an important participant and promoter of multilateral cooperation and international humanitarian cause, playing an increasingly significant role in international humanitarianism, during an interview in Beijing about a year ago.