Transparent need for change

Charity system in China needs reform and supervision to regain public's trust and return to a healthy track

Chinese people have cherished sympathy and concern for others as basic virtues for a long time. More than 2,000 years ago, the sage, Mencius said: Show love and care for others, and be loved by them.

Likewise, the practice of charity has a long history in China. There have been records of relief funds and organized donations for residents who suffered in natural disasters as early as the Han Dynasty (206 BC220 AD). In the late 1800s and early 1900s, with the introduction of modern charity programs, various NGOs, both domestic and foreign, have joined hands with the State, raising charity to a new level. Charity has become a foundation stone of China's social security since then, playing a key role in the country's economic and social development.