And you thought it was humanitarian aid

As Asians Offer Much Aid, Chinese Role Is Limited by Anthony Faiola and Philip P. Pan:

Several Asian countries, led by Japan, have responded swiftly to the plight of their stricken neighbors, generating a major share of global relief aid and mobilizing as never before to help the region cope with a natural catastrophe.

But the response has also underscored the limitations of China -- a fast-growing economic powerhouse that nevertheless has not been able to offer anywhere near the amount of aid provided by Japan, the United States or Britain.

China is viewed by many experts as heir to the financial and political influence in South Asia now enjoyed by Japan and the United States. It has actively cultivated relations with South Asian countries in recent years and has mustered one of its largest foreign disaster assistance packages ever.

But the $64 million offered by Beijing has been dwarfed by the massive pledge of $500 million from Japan, the largest donor to the relief effort. Moreover, China is ill-equipped to launch major rescue operations. It has deployed only several dozen medical personnel to the disaster zone, while the United States has sent 13,000 troops to help.

The contrast is a reminder of the ways in which China is still significantly restricted in its capabilities. Its booming economy has led to greater influence, as smaller nations seek trade and investment. But China remains poor, with low average incomes and a relatively weak military...

And it's not just Japan that makes China look small. South Korea and Taiwan between them are offering more than China:

In addition to Japan and China, South Korea and Taiwan have each pledged $50 million. Singapore has pledged more than $3 million.

Actually, it's not just about humanitarian aid:

Analysts said there was much more than philanthropic superiority at stake. For one thing, there could be significant windfalls from the billions of dollars worth of contracts expected to come from affected nations as they begin reconstruction.

"Japan is afraid of losing influence and business in that region to China," said Masaaki Okamoto of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at Japan's Kyoto University. "Giving aid is one way to ensure Japan's continued dominant role in South Asia."

That works for the US, too, then. If we don't give, we're stingy, but if we do, it's because we not only want to maintain our clout in the region, it's also because we want the reconstruction contracts.