Members of the Communist Party of China (CPC) have donated more than 9.7 billion yuan (about 1.4 billion) on Thursday to help with reconstruction work in the quake-hit southwest China.

The Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee said on Thursday that more than 60 percent of the 73 million CPC members had made the voluntary contribution.

The money would be soon sent to the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) and be used in quake relief and reconstruction after the the magnitude-8 earthquake that affected Sichuan and neighboring areas, it said.

The special Party membership dues were initiated shortly after the quake to support the quake relief. Party members could choose to donate any amount they liked.

The May 12 earthquake, the worst in China in three decades, has left more than 87,000 dead or missing and millions homeless.

Goods and cash with a total value of 59.5 billion yuan had been donated to help the survivors as of Mid-November, according to MCA.

Local authorities in Sichuan plan to invest at least 3 trillion yuan for reconstruction by 2010.

(Xinhua News Agency December 4, 2008)