Guo Meimei, RCSC and China's charity campaign

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Editor’s note

The Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) has been the target of public criticism in China once again after it denied media reports recently that it was planning to reopen an investigation into the "Guo Meimei Affair," a scandal that shattered the charity's credibility two years ago, amid widespread criticism and debates over its role in the Ya'an earthquake relief efforts.

RCSC vs. Guo Meimei

• 2013 --- Reinvestigation still pending

May 6, 2013

Supervisors of the RCSC still have not reached an agreement on whether to reinvestigate the Guo Meimei scandal, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Wang Yong, a member of the RCSC social supervision committee, said committee members will formulate a detailed plan for the reinvestigation next month and vote on the final decision. >>

April 24, 2013

A supervisory committee of the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) said it will reopen an investigation into the "Guo Meimei Affair," a scandal two years ago that continues to plague the charity's credibility as it seeks donations for victims of the Lushan earthquake in Sichuan Province, The Beijing News reported. >>

• 2011 --- RCSC: Guo Meimei had nothing to do with us

August 3, 2011

Guo Meimei, the woman who embarrassed the Red Cross Society of China by claiming to be one of its managers and flaunted her lavish lifestyle online, said all her luxury possessions were gifts from an entrepreneur and her mother who had no links with the charity group. >>

June 22, 2011

The RCSC said the woman who boasted about her extravagant lifestyle online and who claimed to be general manager of Red Cross Commerce is not its employee and there was no such institution as Red Cross Commerce. >>

Opinion

The uncharitable work of charity
The Red Cross Society of China, being the largest charity organization in the country, should have led the relief operations in Ya'an city, Sichuan province, after it was hit by a magnitude-7 earthquake on April 20. But its once lofty credentials seem to have been tarnished beyond repair, and it has become an object of ridicule in public discussions, especially in cyberspace.

• Rebirth of the Red Cross
Zhao Baige, executive vice-president of the Red Cross Society of China, said at a recent news conference that she will resign if the society fails to change its public image within three years. However, public concerns over its role in the relief efforts after the Lushan earthquake in southwestern Sichuan province, and their increased hesitation to make donations to victims via the Red Cross mean that China's largest charity organization is facing an uphill task.

• Supervise, don't smear Red Cross
Despite its recent quake-relief efforts, rumors have continued to sully the image of the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC), hampering its ability to fulfill its mission. When a 7.0-magnitude earthquake shook Ya'an City, Sichuan Province, on Saturday, the RCSC moved quickly to launch disaster relief work and initiate a push for public donations.

• Charity groups should be more transparent
It is reported that the China Charities Aid Foundation for Children (CCAFC) has issued an apology on its official website, claiming that the amount of 475 million is mistakenly listed as 4.75 billion in the foundation's aggregate accrual for short-term wealth management due to mistakes of financial staff. CCAFC admitted that it is a profound lesson, whose reasons are still unknown.

Top 10 charity foundations in China (2011) >>