Yao Ming highlights involvment in charity   

慈善家姚明：捐時間與捐善款同樣重要

離開籃球場的姚明有了更多的精力從事慈善事業。他不僅認真打理自己的“姚基金”，還在不同場合為慈善事業振臂高呼。8日，在2013成都財富全球論壇上，姚明表示，親身參與慈善行動與捐獻善款同樣重要。

Chengdu (CNS) -- Personal involvement in charity is as important as making donations, former NBA star Yao Ming said Saturday during a discussion at the 12th Fortune Global Forum.

People vary in fortune, ability and energy, Yao said, a billionaire can sign a million-dollar check in a minute, but young people's participation in charity events is also of great significance.

Charity organizations should offer more ways for donors and recipients to interact, which boost a sense of participation, he added.

China has witnessed a sudden growth in charity organizations, thanks to patriotism and passion, Yao said, but charity in China is far from mature. Transparency, executive ability and internal management need to be improved, he added.

Yao also said Chinese people like to rank themselves in charity organizations, as they always focus on quantifiable aspects, such as rankings at school. But people's focus should shift from how much one donates to what one does, he said, since doing things is the ultimate in giving.

Yao's interest in charity started early, and The Yao Ming Foundation was established in June 2008 as a response to the devastating 8.0 earthquake in Sichuan.

Yao said his foundation has built 14 primary schools, half of them in Sichuan, and they also promote basketball programs there.