Macao to finance another 23 reconstruction projects in quake-hit Sichuan

Special Report:Reconstruction After Earthquake

MACAO, April 29 (Xinhua) -- After signing an agreement to fund 36
reconstruction projects in Chinese mainland's quake-hit Sichuan province, the
government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Wednesday announced
that it will continue to finance another 23 projects there.

The 23 new projects, including 16 education ones, and four health and three
sports facilities, will cost the SAR government 1.13 billion yuan (166 million
U.S. dollars) and were scheduled to be completed between 2009 and 2011,
according to a press release from the SAR government.

Previously, the SAR government has signed agreements with the Sichuan
provincial government, under which the SAR will pay 2.09 billion yuan (307
million dollars) to fund the 36 reconstruction projects in Sichuan. So far, the
SAR government has announced the funding of some 59 reconstruction projects in
Sichuan, the cost of which amounts to 3.22 billion yuan (474 million dollars).

The magnitude-8.0 quake that occurred in Sichuan last year left more than
69,000 people dead and damaged numerous buildings. The SAR government and the
government-run Macao Foundation have respectively promised to pay five billion
yuan and 500 million yuan in financial assistance to the southwestern Chinese
province.

As for the rest of the promised funds, the Sichuan provincial government is
drawing up the third batch of reconstruction projects and will soon propose them
to the SAR government for financing, according to the press release.