Latest News:  

English>>China Politics

Charity woes to drive China's social welfare reform

(Xinhua)

08:21, March 04, 2013

BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Though the tragedy of a recent fatal private orphanage fire still aches in China's memory and doubts remain as to the credibility of some government-run charities, analysts have said that this climate will push forward reform in China's social welfare system.

The government has all along been playing a dominant role in guiding philanthropy in China, helping many in need to solve their problems. However, speculation of corruption has cast a cloud over some government-sponsored charity groups due to their monopoly in recent years.

Meanwhile, economic development has spurred the development of private charities, but their development has also been haunted by frequent tragic incidents.

In the latest, a Jan.-4 fire in an unlicensed orphanage killed six children and one 20-year-old man in central China's Henan Province.

The tragic incident not only revealed a dearth of government-run orphanages, but also brought the predicament of private charity into the public spotlight.

"Such a tragedy should not happen again," said 73-year-old farmer Wang Jiayu, who adopted more than 500 orphans in 19 years.

Wang's life saw dramatic change last year with all the 200 children remaining in his unregistered shelter being transferred to a public orphanage in Yingshang County in east China's Anhui Province, Wang being named honorary president of the facility.

"I'm a farmer with limited education. I can't run an orphanage as well as the government. The government should take over mine," he said. "But situations differ. For private orphanages whose loving owners are more capable, the government should help them to sustain."

"I really hope the upcoming parliament session can push forward the development of private charities and solve the 'loving dilemma' of private adoption," Wang said of annual sessions of the National People's Congress, China's parliament, which will open on March 5.

According to sociologist Wang Kaiyu with the Anhui Academy of Social Sciences, China does not have enough charity professionals in government at grass-roots levels to incorporate all public welfare issues into their management.

He stressed the importance of innovation in social management by giving full play to the irreplaceable role of privately charity institutions.

【1】 【2】

We Recommend:

Review: 12th CPPCC National Committee opens

Review: News conference on new CPPCC session

CPPCC members arrive for opening session

A beautiful China also world's common desire

China's reform roadmap gets clearer

Japan warned not to cause friction with China

Email|Print|Comments(Editor:YaoChun、Zhang Qian)

Leave your comment0 comments

  1. Name

  

Selections for you


  1. Weekly review of military photos

  2. U.S. F-22A Raptor performs in airshow

  3. Annual Nice Carnival parade kicks off

  4. Farmers prepare for spring sowing

  5. 5th Shanghai Pet Fair held in east China

  6. Performance Institute of BFA releases result

  7. Wedding dress show held in Shanghai

  8. Blooming rape flowers in China's Sichuan

  9. Job seekers attend job fair in China's Nanjing

  10. New policy targets real estate prices

Most Popular

Opinions

  1. Why media turns attention to 'two sessions'
  2. New glories for China in striving for nat'l renewal
  3. Home is where the heart is
  4. Are US, N. Korea playing 'basketball diplomacy'?
  5. Who will attend China's upcoming 'two sessions'?
  6. CPC adopts list of state leadership candidates
  7. Quality vocational education
  8. Air pollution needs urgent action
  9. A growing social malaise
  10. When will Poland join the eurozone?

What’s happening in China

Farmers in E China's Fujian prepare for spring sowing

  1. 5.5-magnitude quake hits southwest China: CENC
  2. China hoping "two sessions" balance urbanization
  3. Police telecom fraud bust nabs 136 suspects
  4. China to see temperature increase
  5. Death toll rises to 12 in N.China mine fire