The Canadian Red Cross’ relationship with the Chinese Red Cross goes back over 30 years to the early 1980s. At a time when many National Societies did not have normalized relations with the Chinese Red Cross, the Canadian Red Cross began sowing the seeds of a bilateral relationship that would play a very large role in the years and decades ahead. The relationship is owed, in significant part, to the strength of the Chinese-Canadian community and the support that they brought to both National Societies. This friendship gift from the Red Cross Society of China was given to the Canadian Red Cross in October, 2004. 

The summer of 1998 brought with it an incredible series of floods that ravaged Northern and Southern part of China. From June until September of that year, China experienced the worst flooding in decades. Massive rivers, including the Pearl, Songhua, Nen and Yangtze were overwhelmed by heavy rainfall. People living in low-lying areas were the hardest hit by the damage, as thousands of Chinese citizens died while millions were impacted by the floods.

"The relationship is owed, in significant part, to the strength of the Chinese-Canadian community and the support that they brought to both National Societies."

The Canadian Red Cross (with support from the Government of Canada) was the single largest donor to the Chinese Red Cross’ flood appeal. In fact, in a testament to the connection between the two National Societies, the Canadian Red Cross has supported every appeal the Chinese Red Cross has launched for international assistance.

A brochure titled “Beyond Relief: Developing a healthier future” was produced in 2000 and documents an important milestone in the history of the relationship between the Canadian and Chinese Red Cross Societies. This brochure captures the two National Societies partnership, from immediate response to long-term development and support in China. It marks a moment where the two organizations made the decision to move to work together to address vulnerability in times of emergency but also in non-disaster situations. Since 1999, the Canadian Red Cross has supported health projects in several provinces in China, including supporting rural health facilities in Xinjiang to provide essential equipment and training

The two National Societies have drawn even closer following the 1998 flood. The May 12, 2008 Sichuan earthquake brought the most support from Canadians to China to date. The Canadian Red Cross is among the largest top three donors supporting the relief and recovery work in China.
 

Following that, the partnership has been expanded to not just financial support, but also expertise sharing that has been highlighted by the introduction of the Canadian Red Cross Water Safety Program in China in 2010 as well as the launch of a new partnership in 2013, the “Dr. Norman Bethune Delegate and Volunteer Training program.”

Canadian Red Cross staff members have served as delegates in other natural disasters in the later years, wherein Canadian Red Cross staff shared their program and technical expertise to assist the Chinese Red Cross in their response.