Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) will donate 1.665 billion yuan to help Sichuan Province in southwestern China with its rebuilding after the May 12 earthquake.

The money, about US$243.6 million, will be used in 20reconstruction projects covering infrastructural facilities, schools, hospitals and natural reserves, according to the agreements signed on Saturday.

Wei Hong, executive vice governor of Sichuan, promised to make proper use of the donation at the signing ceremony.

Stephen Lam Sui-lung, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs of HKSAR government, said the fund was approved in July and donations to another 37 projects listed in the agreements will be submitted to Hong Kong's legislative authority at a proper time.

The quake, measuring 8.0 on the Richter scale, struck Wenchuan County of Sichuan on May 12. It left more than 80,000 dead or missing and was the deadliest and strongest tremor to hit China since the 1976 Tangshan earthquake.

(Xinhua News Agency October 12, 2008)