Social organizations in the mix

Editor's note: Chen Tao is a professor with the social work research center of the China Youth University for Political Sciences in Beijing.

During the Third Plenary Session of the CPC Central Committee, the leadership decided to improve the effectiveness of non-governmental social organizations. The decision effectively backed moves in a number of cities, including Shenzhen and Guangzhou in Guangdong province, to invite social organizations to provide more public services.

Previous efforts to empower social organizations prompted criticism because some of the organizations are not transparent or professional, and some lack proper management procedures.