BEIJING ¨C China has contributed over $120 million to fight the spread of the Ebola virus, but its billionaire tycoons ¡ª it has more than anywhere outside the United States ¡ª have, publicly at least, donated little to the cause, underscoring an immature culture of philanthropy in the world¡¯s second-biggest economy.
As the ranks of China¡¯s wealthy and the success of its corporations grow, donating to good causes has yet to take off in a significant way. China sits toward the bottom of the list of countries where people give money to charity, volunteer or help a stranger, according to The World Giving Index, compiled by the Charities Aid Foundation.
Donations to charities totaled 98.9 billion yuan ($16.1 billion) in 2013, according to Chinese government data, recovering from two straight years of declines. For comparison, Americans gave more than $335 billion, according to the National Philanthropic Trust website.
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