Charity woes to drive China's social welfare reform (2)

Some innovative measures have already been put into test status in China.

In one case, 11 social institutions have set up offices in the government-run social organizations development center in Wuhu City, Anhui Province, which was put into operation last September.

Lv Zheng, a deputy head of one of the social groups, said the government not only offers office premises and equipment for free, but also provides training and helps them to get registered.

Lv admitted on the other hand that the routine review by the center on them is both a pressure and an spur.

"We could be phased out if we didn't meet the goals," Lv said.

Jia Xijin, deputy director of NGO research center the School of Public Policy and Management with Beijing-based Tsinghua University, said that based on the experiences of developed countries, we can tell that it is a mature and feasible method for the government to buy charity services from non-government institutions.

In his report to the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China held in last November, President Hu Jintao said, "We should improve the way in which the government provides public services...

"Enterprises, public institutions and people's organizations should play a better role in conducting social management and providing related services."

Master Juexing, abbot of Shangha's Yufo Temple and also a member of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the top political advisory body, said he would suggest the government encourages and supports religious circles to build charity hospitals during the CPPCC's annual session, which was opened on Sunday.

"This will help religious institutions to participate in charity activities so as to make them a supplement to the country's public welfare development," he said.

Analysts believe that accelerating legislation on philanthropy and transforming the development mode of the country's social welfare system by using the joint force of the government, non-government institutions, enterprises and the public will be a major concern during the annual parliament session in March.

Zhang Zhenyue, director of the office of social welfare and charity promotion of Anhui's provincial civil affairs bureau, said the government should have a clearer definition of its role and give more support to private charity institutions in terms of legislation and policy so as to mobilize them to contribute more.

"I hope this year's parliament session can promote the ushering-in of new policies," he said.

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