An official from the Ministry for Civil Affairs announces that the government is aiming to accumulate 5 billion euros in donations from rich and poor alike, maintaining it’s the only way to combat the increasing socio-economic divide which is devastating the country

Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Donations to Chinese charities should reach 50 billion Yuan (5 billion euro) by 2010, in efforts to readdress the socio – economic imbalance affecting the country and create a “more society harmonious”.  The announcement was made by a senior Ministry of Civil Affairs official. Wang Zhenyao , director of the ministry's disaster and social-relief department, believes the campaign can also arouse a sense of benevolence among the public and reduce tension between the "haves" and "have-nots”.

 

These objectives, he added,  can only be reached by “encouraging all members of the public to donate, instead of only the rich. It can improve relations between the rich and the poor and it can make the society more harmonious: 50 billion Yuan can be a force of solidarity for the hearts of the people and we should incite a charitable heart among the ordinary people”.

 

However in order to encourage people to have more faith in the Governments charity efforts many different problems must first be faced: on above all, the financial scandal that hit the government’s Project of Hope some years ago, with the siphoning of funds destined to aid Shaghai’s poor. Wang said he “was aware of the public's deep mistrust When people donate, as long as the donation reaches the poor people and not the pockets of corrupt officials, they are satisfied. How come their expectation is so low? There should be a higher standard”.

 

The Government’s mistrust of Non governmental Organisations operative in the country has not changed however. Despite this invitation to donate to charity, Wang has not announced where the procedures of this campaign will eventually go.  And yet in last years National Peoples Congress, Beijing promised new regulations, tax breaks and reduced authority interference for NGO’s operative in the country.   

 

This latest move signs a clear change in Beijing’s policy, with over 50 million disabled, 300 thousand orphans, 150 thousand homeless and 100 thousand elderly people in need of assistance, the central committee has finally recognised in their 2006-2010 plan that “they need the NGO’s”.

 

Upon till now, these groups have been able to operate in the country only if they find a government department that will guarantee for them before the state.  This is way many are known by the contradictory term “NGO organized by the government”.

 

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