Coca-Cola China Limited has donated over 30 million yuan (US$3.6 million) since 1993 in support of China's community programs, Chairman of Coca-Cola China Limited Steve Chan said in Beijing on Saturday.

Chan received an honorary "Mother River" Award Friday from eight Chinese ministries and commissions in recognition for Coca-Cola's contributions in the area of environmental protection and development in China.

"With this encouragement, Coca-Cola and I, as an individual, will continue our involvement in local community affairs, which has become the company's commitment to local society," said Chan.

Among the eleven award recipients, Chan was the only representative from multi-national business enterprises.

As one of China's key awards in the fields of environmental development and protection, the "Mother River" Award recognizes people for outstanding contributions to the Mother River Protection Program and environmental protection and for efforts in raising environmental awareness among Chinese youth.

Coca-Cola China Limited has donated two million yuan since October, 2000 for the planting of one million trees and for the drilling of five deep-water wells around the sand hills in Tianmo, Huailai County of Hebei Province.

Coca-Cola has also been actively involved in building primary and middle schools in low-income areas, developing Internet education centers and helping the unemployed to locate employment.

(Xinhua News Agency January 18, 2003)