A reader browses Zhu Rongji's Answers to Journalists' Questions at Wangfujing Bookstore in Beijing on Tuesday. WANG JING/CHINA DAILY

Former premier Zhu Rongji was recognized as one of the country's most generous donors by the China Philanthropy Research Institute of Beijing Normal University.

Zhu, 87, donated 15.2 million yuan ($2.43 million) to the Practical Education Foundation in 2014, ranking 82 nd out of the 100 donors, according to the institute.

He had previously made the list in 2013.

Zhu, who served as premier from 1998 to 2003, wrote several books, including Zhu Rongji Meets the Press and Zhu Rongji's Answers to Journalists' Questions. The books became best-sellers.

He said he would donate all the money from his books to public welfare to help poor students in poverty-stricken areas.

"It's impressive to see a former national leader giving such a donation, bringing him closer to the people," said Tao Chuanjin, director of the Research Center of Philanthropy and Social Enterprise at Beijing Normal University.

Total donations from the 100 on the list hit a record 30.4 billion yuan in 2014, an increase of 15.7 billion yuan over 2013.

Twenty-four on the list contributed more than 100 million yuan to charity, up from 18 in 2011 when the institute made its first list of donors.

Jack Ma, the billionaire CEO of Alibaba, the country's largest e-commerce group, donated 35 million shares worth 16.9 billion yuan, making Ma the most generous donor on the list.

Alibaba Chief Financial Officer Joseph Tsai was second on the list after donating 15 million shares equal to 7.24 billion yuan.

One-quarter of the donors were from Guangdong province, and donations to overseas charities (24.2 billion yuan) surpassed those given domestically for the first time.

"It shows that there is no boundary to charity," said Tao, adding that it may be related to the imperfect charity system in China, which has driven them away.