In order to mobilize the whole nation's efforts to speed up the restoration and reconstruction in earthquake-hit areas and to provide assistance and support in an orderly manner, a mechanism for aid partnership was set up within China in June 2008.

The program follows the principle of "each province helps one seriously-affected county," and sets the term of aid partnership at three years.

A total of 19 provinces and municipalities in eastern and central China have paired up with quake-hit areas. Taking into account the economic strength of aid providers and the situation of aid receivers, pairings are as follows:

1. Shandong Province - Beichuan County, Sichuan Province

2. Guangdong Province - Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province

3. Zhejiang Province - Qingchuan County, Sichuan Province

4. Jiangsu Province - Mianzhu County, Sichuan Province

5. Beijing - Shifang City, Sichuan Province

6. Shanghai - Dujiangyan City, Sichuan Province

7. Hebei Province - Pingwu County, Sichuan Province

8. Liaoning Province - An County, Sichuan Province

9. Henan Province - Jiangyou City, Sichuan Province

10. Fujian Province - Pengzhou City, Sichuan Province

11. Shanxi Province - Mao County, Sichuan Province

12. Hunan Province - Li County, Sichuan Province

13. Jilin Province - Heishui County, Sichuan Province

14. Anhui Province - Songpan County, Sichuan Province

15. Jiangxi Province - Xiaojin County, Sichuan Province

16. Hubei Province - Hanyuan County, Sichuan Province

17. Chongqing - Chongzhou City, Sichuan Province

18. Heilongjiang Province - Jiange County, Sichuan Province

19. Guangdong Province (mainly by Shenzhen) - Seriously-affected areas in Gansu Province

20. Tianjin - Seriously-affected areas in Shaanxi Province

Aid includes:

1. Planning, architectural design, expert counseling, engineering construction and supervision;

2. Construction and restoration of urban and rural resident houses;

3. Construction and restoration of public facilities, including schools, hospitals, television broadcasting stations, cultural and sports facilities, social welfare facilities, etc;

4. Construction and restoration of infrastructure, including urban and rural roads, water supply and drainage, gas supply, disposal of sewage and garbage, etc;

5. Construction and restoration of agricultural and rural infrastructure;

6. Providing mechanical equipment, instruments and tools, construction materials, and services such as selecting teachers and medical personnel, talent training, non-local nursery and school enrollment, labor export and import, agricultural technology, etc;

7. On a market-oriented basis, encouraging companies to invest in building local plants, setting up trade and circulation service facilities, and participating in commercial infrastructure construction projects;

8. Other forms of aid agreed upon during the negotiation of partnership.