Chinese businessmen in Moscow held a donation party on Sunday for the victims of last week's devastating earthquake which has claimed more than 32,000 lives in Southwest China's Sichuan Province.

"Learning about the quake in our hometown, we Chinese from the Sichuan Province felt deep sorrow and are all willing to donate for our compatriots with our savings," said Huang Xiaoyi, chairman of the Sichuan business chamber in Moscow.

A magnitude of 8.0 earthquake hit Sichuan Province on Monday, the worst natural disaster in the country in the last three decades.

In a Moscow market where the party was held, stall-keepers from other countries also expressed their condolence and sympathy to the earthquake victims.

According to Huang, some 1,500 people have made donation in the party, including those from China, Russia, Vietnam and Central Asian countries.

The donation party has garnered some US$80,000 and Huang predicted that the money will sum up to US$100,000, which will be sent to the Red Cross in Sichuan.

(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2008)