Proposed changes aiming to help regulate charities

A long-awaited draft law to improve China's charitable organizations and the industry was submitted to the nation's top legislative body for the first discussion on Friday.

The draft, studied by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress at its bimonthly session, highlights the importance of the transparency of charitable organizations and clarifies what such an organization is and what responsibilities they should take.

As total annual donations have increased to 100 billion yuan ($15.73 billion) from less than 10 billion yuan in 2005, embezzled donations and other scandals have arisen in the industry, "which is why we are strongly calling for its regulation through legislation," said Tian He, a legal researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Law.