Guiding Opinions of the State Council on Promoting the Healthy Development of Philanthropy

Guiding Opinions of the State Council on Promoting the Healthy Development of Philanthropy

Guo Fa [2014] No.61

November 24, 2014

People's governments of all provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government, as well as the ministries and commissions of and the institutions directly under the State Council,

Since the adoption of the policy of reform and opening up, philanthropy has risen prosperously in China, with swift development and strengthening of various types of philanthropic forces represented by philanthropic organizations, with remarkable enhancement of the awareness of society about philanthropy, and with various philanthropic activities being carried out actively and enthusiastically. Philanthropy has played a positive role in disaster relief, poverty relief, medical aid, education relief, old age support and disability assistance, and in other fields of public welfare. However, philanthropy in China still involves the problems that the systems of policies and legislations concerned have not been perfected enough, that measures for supervision and management thereof are not complete enough, that philanthropic activities have not been duly regulated, that the social atmosphere thereof has not been strong enough, that coordination between philanthropy and social relief work has not been close enough, etc., which has negatively impacted the healthy development of philanthropy in the country. In accordance with the spirit of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Third and Fourth Plenary Sessions of the 18th CPC Central Committee and the relevant decisions and arrangements of the State Council, and in efforts to further strengthen and improve the work of philanthropy, bring the resources of both philanthropy and social relief under overall planning, and better guarantee and improve the livelihood of the masses in straitened circumstances, the following Opinions are hereby given.

I. Overall Requirements
1. Guiding ideology. Under the guidance of the Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of "Three Represents" and the Scientific Outlook on Development, and in adherence to promotion by the government, implementation by society, participation by the public and specialized operation, equal importance shall be attached to encouragement of support and strengthening of supervision and control in promoting the healthy development of philanthropy, in striving to form a new situation of development of philanthropy that is in close coordination with the work of social relief, and that fully plays a role in terms of poverty alleviation, helping the needy, improving the people's livelihood, carrying forward the traditional virtues of the Chinese nation and the core values of socialism, etc.
2. Basic principles.
Highlighting of poverty alleviation and extension of assistance to the needy. Philanthropic organizations and other social forces shall be encouraged, supported and guided to extensively launch philanthropic assistance and support in the fields of helping the masses in straitened circumstances to meet their urgent needs and solve hard difficulties, etc. by starting by helping them to solve their most direct, most realistic and most urgent problems, to form resultant forces with social relief operated by the government, and to effectively play an important supplementary role thereto.
Adherence to reform and innovation. Exploration shall be boldly made in terms of mechanisms and systems of philanthropy, modes of operation of philanthropy, coordination between philanthropy and social relief, etc., to unclog the channels for all parties in society to participate in philanthropy and social relief, to vigorously optimize the environment for the development of philanthropy, and to enable the various philanthropic resources and social relief resources to play a full role therein.
Guarantee of openness and transparency. Philanthropic organizations and other social forces shall, in launching philanthropic activities, fully respect the will of donors, and make public the results of collection, management and use of philanthropic resources in a timely and sufficient manner, in accordance with the relevant provisions. Philanthropic organizations shall practically fulfill their responsibility for information disclosure, and accept administrative supervision, social supervision and supervision by public opinion.
Strengthening of regulation and management. Improvement of the relevant legislation and policies shall be sped up, to regulate and guide the healthy development of philanthropy. Philanthropic activities launched by natural persons, legal persons and other organizations shall be regulated in accordance with laws and rules, with timely investigation and correction of activities that are in violation of laws or rules, to ensure operation of philanthropy on the path of legality.
3. Development objectives. By the year 2020, the system of regulation of philanthropy shall have become complete and effective; the policies on the support thereof shall have been basically completed; the relevant systems and mechanisms shall have been coordinated with one another and smooth; the behavior of philanthropy shall have become standard and orderly; philanthropic activities shall have become open and transparent; social donation thereto shall have become active and enthusiastic; volunteer services shall have been extensively operated; the atmosphere of supporting philanthropy and participating in philanthropy by the whole of society shall have become even stronger; and philanthropy shall have formed a powerful supplement to social relief and shall have become an important force for full-scale completion of the construction of a well-off society in China.

II. Encouraging and Supporting the Launch of Philanthropic Activities with Priority Given to Poverty Alleviation and Helping the Needy
As poverty alleviation and helping the needy are important aspects of philanthropy, encouraging and supporting the launch of philanthropic activities with priority given to poverty alleviation and helping the needy while the government manages to guarantee the basic life of the masses in straitened circumstances will be in the interest of better satisfying the diversified and multilevel demand of the masses in straitened circumstances, helping them to eliminate poverty and improve their livelihood, forming effective coordination and functional mutual supplementation between philanthropy and social relief, and jointly develop a network of security of social life in a firm and tight manner.
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