China to normalize charity industry

China called for a further normalization within the charity industry in an attempt to enhance industrial credibility and transparency, according to a press conference of the 2011 National People's Congress fourth session on March.8.
Dou Yu Pei, the vice minister of National Civil Affairs, looked back on the development of Chinese charity undertakings. He marked natural disasters, such as the Wenchuan earthquake in 2008, Qinghai Earthquake in 2010 and the Zhouqu mudslide in 2010, as well as the according donation passions of the domestic public, diasporic Chinese and the international organizations as the catalysts of the charity industry's development.
However, he pointed out, it is still at its initial stage of development, which means that more normalizations are needed. He laid out three highlights.
First, is legislation. The Ministry of Civil Affairs had drafted laws on philanthropy since 2006 and reported the bill to the State Council of China in 2008.
Second, is to promote philanthropic culture. This aims at leading charities to be integrated and internalized in everyday life and making charity common practice.
Third, is to foster charity organizations with care. The Ministry of Civil Affairs, together with the State Council, has currently been revising the social group registration policies and regulations, the fund management policies and privately-owned non-profitable organizations (NGOs) management provisional regulations.
As the fourth, he urged further enhancement of the public trust and transparency of the philanthropy organizations.
By Li Yancheng, People's Daily Online
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