The government plans to streamline the registration process of non-governmental organizations specializing in charity, industry, science and technology and community services, the on-going session of the National People's Congress was told Sunday.
A social organization will no longer be required to seek the approval of the official administration that oversees the sector in which the organization plans to specialize. State Councilor Ma Kai said newly forming NGOs can apply directly to the Ministry of Civil Affairs for approval, adding that simplified procedures are part of the overall plan to streamline government functions, the Xinhua News Agency reported Sunday.
Wang Zhenyao, a former senior official at the Ministry of Civil Affairs, told the Global Times that the move means the government is attempting to take more of a hands-off approach in certifying the organizations.
International NGOs and those specializing in law, politics and religion will not be included in the new plan, said Ma, implying that the work of NGOs specializing in these fields is more complicated.
"It's a big reform to omit one of the two procedural steps in forming NGOs, but the government still wants to stay conservative on sensitive issues like politics and religion," Wang said.
Obtaining legal status is very important and difficult for new NGOs in China, said Deng Guosheng, director of School of Public Administration of Tsinghua University.
More than one million NGOs are operating in China without government approval, said Deng.
"Now the government has removed one of the biggest barriers for NGOs and we can expect more NGOs will be registered in China," Deng told the Global Times.
Although nonregistered NGOs can operate without government recognition, many have limited resources and cannot access tax breaks that could help them grow, Deng said.
"We should continue transforming the government's functions by separating government administration from the social organizations."
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