Mr. Ran said Beidou is already being used by more than 100, 000 clients in China and has been used to help track government vehicles in the southern province of Guangdong, and to assist disaster-relief work after an earthquake in the western province of Sichuan in 2008.

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Others, such as Wipro Cares, match contributions from employees and provide disaster relief, lending a hand after the earthquake in Gujarat or the floods in Orissa, for instance.

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Gifts will support disaster relief efforts to help those affected by the earthquake in Japan and the tsunami throughout the Pacific.

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