BEIJING:
Bill gates and Warren Buffet received some "very generous" gifts during a dinner in Beijing with a small group of ultra-rich Chinese to promote charity, saying yesterday that the event had exceeded expectations. But neither man, two of the world's riches people and keen philanthropists themselves, would give any details, explaining it was up to the people themselves to talk about any donations that may have been made or talked about.
"I don't think it's appropriate to talk about any particular individual. There were some gifts that were very generous," Microsoft founder Gates tell the news conference. "As you know there are some people who've come out publicly and talked about (how) they're going to do quite substantial philanthropy," he added saying that two thirds of the people they invited had showed up, or some 50 people.
"We were very impressed. The people we were with last night had ideas about things they wanted to do. They saw the charitable sector at an early stage and were asking about what lesson there might be from the United States," said Gates.
Buffet and Gates are urging American billionaires to give away at least half their wealth during their lifetimes or upon their death by signing the Giving Pledge, which far has 40 members.
Their dinner sparked intense media interest in China, and speculation the two would walk away empty-handed. But they published an open letter ahead of their visit saying they did not intend to force anyone to give up their wealth, writhing that all they wanted to do was share their experiences and listed to Chinese views.
"We did not pressure anyone obviously in China, and we never had intention to," said Buffet, the world's third-richest man and chairman of Berkshire Hathaway. "No one was asked in any way, indirectly or directly to sign up to anything last night. Bill and I will not be calling anybody. What happens in China will depend on how the Chinese people feel about a project of this sort," he added.
The only rich Chinese person they confirmed had attended was movie star Jet Li, whose One Foundation is a partner of the Chinese Red Cross. - Reuters.
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Earlier on September 27, 2010 also in the Sun : Koon's RM30m to go to other causes ...
Philanthropist Koon Yew Yin whose offer to donate RM30 million to UTAR to build hostels at its Kampar campus in Perak was not taken up, has decided to donate the money to other charitable causes, the Chinese Press reported.
He said it had been more than a year since the offer was first made,and since UTAR had no intention to take it up, he would donate the RM30 million, or even more, to other organisations which need the money, including schools, universities, old folk's homes and orphanages.
The founder of three leading development companies - IJM Corporation Bhd, Gamuda Bhd and Mudajaya Group Bhd - held a press conference in Petaling Jaya on Friday to clarify some accusations made against him over the donation offer. He said the claim by UTAR's board of trustees and councils that he wanted to exercise full control over his money was not true.
asked if he would consider extending his offer to UTAR again, he said: "Are you joking?"
"I don't think it's appropriate to talk about any particular individual. There were some gifts that were very generous," Microsoft founder Gates tell the news conference. "As you know there are some people who've come out publicly and talked about (how) they're going to do quite substantial philanthropy," he added saying that two thirds of the people they invited had showed up, or some 50 people.
"We were very impressed. The people we were with last night had ideas about things they wanted to do. They saw the charitable sector at an early stage and were asking about what lesson there might be from the United States," said Gates.
Buffet and Gates are urging American billionaires to give away at least half their wealth during their lifetimes or upon their death by signing the Giving Pledge, which far has 40 members.
Their dinner sparked intense media interest in China, and speculation the two would walk away empty-handed. But they published an open letter ahead of their visit saying they did not intend to force anyone to give up their wealth, writhing that all they wanted to do was share their experiences and listed to Chinese views.
"We did not pressure anyone obviously in China, and we never had intention to," said Buffet, the world's third-richest man and chairman of Berkshire Hathaway. "No one was asked in any way, indirectly or directly to sign up to anything last night. Bill and I will not be calling anybody. What happens in China will depend on how the Chinese people feel about a project of this sort," he added.
The only rich Chinese person they confirmed had attended was movie star Jet Li, whose One Foundation is a partner of the Chinese Red Cross. - Reuters.
------
Earlier on September 27, 2010 also in the Sun : Koon's RM30m to go to other causes ...
Philanthropist Koon Yew Yin whose offer to donate RM30 million to UTAR to build hostels at its Kampar campus in Perak was not taken up, has decided to donate the money to other charitable causes, the Chinese Press reported.
He said it had been more than a year since the offer was first made,and since UTAR had no intention to take it up, he would donate the RM30 million, or even more, to other organisations which need the money, including schools, universities, old folk's homes and orphanages.
The founder of three leading development companies - IJM Corporation Bhd, Gamuda Bhd and Mudajaya Group Bhd - held a press conference in Petaling Jaya on Friday to clarify some accusations made against him over the donation offer. He said the claim by UTAR's board of trustees and councils that he wanted to exercise full control over his money was not true.
asked if he would consider extending his offer to UTAR again, he said: "Are you joking?"
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