FORMER CHINESE LEADER'S WIFE DONATES ALL HER SAVINGS

Deng Xiaoping's widow donates all her savings for earthquake relief

[pcitured right: Deng and Zhou in 1938]

BEIJING, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Zhuo Lin, widow of China's late
leader and chief designer of the Reform and Opening Drive
Deng Xiaoping, has donated 100,000 yuan (about 14,280 U.S.
dollars) for quake relief, according to the Red Cross
Society of China.

On Thursday, the Red Cross received the donation from the
92-year old, of all her savings and money from family
members.

According to the society, Zhuo had found it hard to fall
asleep and eat meals when she heard about the earthquake,
and she decided to donate 100,000 yuan to the Red Cross for
earthquake relief. Since her own savings was less than
100,000 yuan, she had to raise some money from her family
members.

Zhuo said she will spare no efforts to help the victims in
the affected areas, according to the sources.

Zhuo, is a native of Xuanwei, Yunnan Province. In 1939,
Deng, a native of Guang'an, Sichuan, and Zhuo married in
Yan'an, Shaanxi Province. The couple had two sons and three
daughters.

When Deng was alive, he sometimes made donations to the
needed in the name of an "old Communist Party member". Deng
died of illness on February 19, 1997, at the age of 93, and
since then, his widow has led a simple life.

An earthquake measuring 7.8 degrees on the Richter struck
Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province, on May 12, and as of 4
p.m. on Thursday nearly 20,000 deaths have been reported in
Sichuan and several other provinces and the total death
toll is estimated at 50,000 or more.

A large number of institutions, companies and individuals
including China's Party and State leaders have donated cash
and goods for earthquake relief.