From Chinese Press

Promote real charity

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-05-11 07:53

The media should rethink their criteria for philanthropy and promote real charity, says an article on South Net. Excerpts:

This year's China Charity Ranking List was released recently and named Niu Gensheng, president of Mengniu Dairy Group, the winner of the 2010 China Charity Life Achievement award, sparking a heated public debate.

The baby milk contamination scandal is proof that Niu has not acted like a responsible entrepreneur. But Niu claims that as early as 2005 he had decided to use his 5-billion-yuan shareholdings in Mengniu Dairy Group to set up his own charity fund.

It's surprising that the public knows little or nothing about his charity fund. People can hardly find any contact information of his foundation, and only a few of its donation records are available on the Internet. Granting the 2010 charity award to Niu is worse than handing the Academy Award for Life Achievement in cinema to some artists that filmgoers hardly know about.

It's good that the media are keen to report charity issues. But if they report such developments praising the winner instead of criticizing the choice they would actually be harming the cause of charity in China.

(China Daily 05/11/2010 page9)