Charities 'must boost transparency'

Scandals have taken toll on public trust, former watchdog head says

BEIJING - Government-backed charity groups must improve transparency or risk losing donors and public trust, an ex-watchdog official said.

Wang Zhenyao, the former head of the department of social welfare and charities under the Ministry of Civil Affairs, also called for a loosening in the requirement for organizations to be registered as public charity foundations. Only public foundations that are affiliated to the government are allowed to raise funds from the public.