After 10 years of twists and turns, Chinese charity legislation to be considered next year

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After 10 years of twists and turns, Chinese charity legislation to be considered next year
中国慈善立法10年曲折终迎转机拟于明年审议
By Ji Xin 记欣, July 16, 2014
Source: Legal Evening News 法制晚報
Link: http://www.cdb.org.cn/newsview.php?id=9405

The National People’s Congress Domestic Legal Committee (全国人民代表大会内务司法委员会)has taken the lead in the drafting of the Charity Law and is expected to submit it for consideration in 2015. Chinese charity has already endured 10 years of twists and turns and is finally turning the corner and making headway.

Jin Jinping, director of Peking University’s Civil Society Research Center spoke in favor of legislation protecting one’s right to engage in charitable acts. For Jin, “Doing good is a right and a freedom”. As charitable aims and objectives in China continue to diversify, and thus organizations and charitable activity continue to grow and develop in different directions, Jin Jinping thinks that legislation should give communities more freedom. She stresses that when considering legislation that has to do with liability, supervision, management, taxes and more, it is important to take into account whether these laws would promote or “imprison” one’s right and freedom to do good.

Experts have suggested that since the Wenchuan earthquake, the country has made large strides into the era of having people participating in philantropy. But this movement has to make three changes. One is transitioning from a model in which businesses, entrepreneurs and celebrities donate, to a model in which everyone can play a part as well. The second is a transition from passive, to voluntary and purposeful donations. The third change many hope to see is the development and popularization of regular donations.

Translation by Ezra Stoller

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