Social think tanks earn recognition

Think tanks run by domestic nongovernment organizations, officially named "social think tanks", which were once marginalized if not ignored, have finally earned recognition and strong support from the Chinese government.

The government promised on Friday in a circular to make policies to help these think tanks grow, while enhancing regulations to improve their management. Among things to expect, foreigners who work for these think tanks may enjoy more favorable job benefits like public health insurance, which were not guaranteed before.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs, which is in charge of most NGO-related issues, joined hands with eight other key government organs, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, to issue the circular.