China will revise laws and policies to encourage the development
of foreign and domestic non-governmental organizations (NGOs), a
senior official has been quoted as saying.
Among the key changes are a simplified registration procedure
for all NGOs and better communication with governments, said Sun
Weilin, director of the bureau for NGO administration affiliated to
the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
A foundation will also be set up to recognize and reward NGOs
with good performance.
"The ministry is drawing up a detailed draft for revising laws
and regulations, with the main objective of giving more room for
NGOs to grow," Sun told China Business News.
He was speaking at a recent ceremony where the European Union
and the United Nations Development Programme signed an agreement to
support a large-scale initiative aimed at strengthening the rule of
law and enhancing civil society participation in China. The program
will be implemented by the National People's Congress, the Supreme
People's Court and the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
"If the registration procedure is simplified for domestic NGOs
and foreign NGOs can register as NGOs, it will make it easier for
them to operate and raise funds for their programs," Li Jianghua,
the deputy representative of the China branch of Handicap
International, told China Business News.
Experts said the changes will create a better legal framework
for foreign NGOs to have a wider presence in China and provide a
platform for better coordination with government agencies.
"The government is moving in the right direction," said Jia
Xijin, an associate professor with the School of Public Policy and
Management at Tsinghua University, who pointed out that regulations
need to be revised to make it easier for NGOs to register.
She said the current Regulations on the Registration of Social
Organizations, promulgated in 1998, have no provision covering
foreign NGOs, leaving them in the limbo.
"Foreign NGOs operate in China but their presence has no legal
basis, which makes it impossible for them to recruit members or
raise funds," Jia said.
As a result, the China operations of some foreign NGOs,
including the World Wild Fund for Nature, have been registered as
commercial organizations and thus cannot raise funds or recruit
volunteers. They also have to pay taxes.
Jia also told that the unfavorable policy environment has become
a major bottleneck for the development of domestic NGOs.
They have to find a government-authorized institution as its
"responsible professional institution" to secure registration -
which is often cumbersome or sometimes impossible.
Jia urged the government to waive the registration procedures
for grassroots NGOs without much funding. "Such NGOs are the
foundation of social development and harmony," Jia said.
Liu Kaiming, dean of an institute focusing on training and
helping migrant workers, said he was glad the government was taking
concrete steps to create a favorable environment for NGOs.
According to figures from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the
country had about 354,000 NGOs by the end of 2006 but Jia estimated
the actual number at more than 1 million.
(China Daily May 25, 2007)