The country's top think tank said private-run enterprises were the major driving force for China's charity donations in 2009.

Private enterprises donated around 5.43 billion yuan ($812 million) in 2009, which accounted for about 41.35 percent of total donations from enterprises in 2009, according to an annual report on China's philanthropy development released by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences on November 2.

A total of 282 private enterprises donated more than 1 million yuan ($149,000) each, which amounted to 62.9 percent of enterprises involved in charity last year, said the report.

"More private entrepreneurs want to exercise their social responsibility after accumulating huge wealth," Li Zhiyan, head of the non-profit Social Resources Institute, said in the report.

The report also said the real estate industry had been "generous" and "active" in charity donations in China last year.

Chinese organizations received donations totaling 33.2 billion yuan ($4.96 billion) in 2009, a 3.5-percent increase on the amount in 2008, according to the report.