NGOs must have more say in global issues

The G20 Summit scheduled for September in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, will mark another step forward for China in global governance. As a powerful group of the international community, especially in the fields of finance and investment, the G20 offers a rare opportunity for non-governmental organizations in China to help realize its global goals.

China's participation in global governance, many overseas observers argue, is basically driven by the Chinese government. But that is not the case.

True, as manager of the world's second-largest economy, the Chinese government has a decisive say in policymaking. But the rise of NGOs following China's deepening integration into the international community should not be overlooked, especially because some of them hold bigger sway than many local governments.