Today, the Zhejiang Public Security Bureau (PSB) Foreign NGO Management Office used new media to heighten awareness of the Foreign NGO Law after one year of implementation, resulting in a number of provincial and local news sites re-sharing and publishing related reports.
A number of provinces have been holding events to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Foreign NGO Law’s implementation, handing out informational materials and answering related questions.
In Tianjin, the Tianjin PSB Foreign NGO Management Office held events in the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA) to publicize the law, such as “NGOs Enter Campus” at Nankai University TEDA College and “NGOs Enter the Community” in TEDA’s Furui Community.
In Shanxi Province’s Linfen City, the PSB held publicity events in Pingyang Square and at Shanxi Normal University, attended by the city’s head of public security, who is also the city’s Politics and Law Commission Secretary and Vice-Mayor.
In Jiangxi, personnel from the provincial PSB Foreign NGO Management Office visited several Professional Supervisory Units, including Jiangxi Province Party Committee, Health and Family Planning Commission, Department of Education, Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, Women’s Federation, and Tax Bureau.
The Hunan PSB Foreign NGO Management Office focused its efforts on geographical areas and Professional Supervisory Units in Changsha City that see a lot of foreign NGO activity, using a variety of methods disseminate information about the Foreign NGO Law.
The Guizhou PSB Foreign NGO Management Office held a Foreign NGO Law-related training and also posted flyers and gave out handouts on college campuses.
In collaboration with the Lanzhou City PSB, the provincial Commission for the Comprehensive Management of Public Security, the provincial Department of Civil Affairs, as well as local civil society organizations, the Gansu PSB Foreign NGO Management Office disseminated Foreign NGO-related information in Lanzhou via broadcast, visual, and written materials.
Today, the Fujian PSB Foreign NGO Management Office presented representative office registration and chief representative certificates to the Taiwan World Journalism Association. The Association’s chief representative praised the Office’s efficient and high-quality service, thanked its Professional Supervisory Unit (PSU) for its support, and pledged to work in Fujian according to the law in order to contribute to the province’s public welfare.
Also today, the Henan PSB Foreign NGO Management Office gave a registration certificate to the Chi Heng Foundation (Hong Kong). Also in attendance at the ceremony were the Henan People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries [the Foundation’s PSU] and the Zhengzhou city PSB.
Also today, the Yunnan PSB Foreign NGO Management Office presented registration certificates to Go and Love Foundation (United States), Sowers Action (Hong Kong), and Zhi-Shan Foundation Taiwan. The Yunnan Department of Education and the Yunnan Office of Overseas Chinese Affairs, as PSUs for these NGOs, also attended the event. The three NGOs thanked the PSB and their PSUs for their convenient service and indicated they would strictly adhere to the Foreign NGO Law, emphasizing communication with and active support for the work of the PSB and their PSUs while undertaking activities that would benefit the public welfare. In addition, Sowers Action gave the PSB a “thank you” banner.
“A few things worth looking back on in Foreign NGO work in 2017:”
January 1: The Foreign NGO Law goes into effect, provinces’ Foreign NGO service windows open, and the Foreign NGO online platform begins operation.
January 17: The Shanghai PSB Foreign NGO Management Office presents registration certificates to the first batch of six approved representative offices.
January 19: The State Administration of Taxation issues a notice requiring all local tax departments to “do well” their work related to foreign NGO registration.
January 19: The Guangdong PSB Foreign NGO Management Office presents a batch of registration certificates to six representative offices.
January 23: The Beijing PSB Foreign NGO Management Office presents a batch of representative certificates to 20 representative offices; several media outlets attend.
February 23: The Chongqing PSB Foreign NGO Management Office receives a temporary activity filing, the first in the country.
March 23: The People’s Bank of China and the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) jointly release a notice requiring all banks and financial institutions to ensure that they handle foreign NGOs’ renminbi accounts according to law.
April 2: The “Foreign NGOs in China” official WeChat account launches.
May 10: 11 Foreign NGOs, representing nine countries, attended a forum on Foreign NGOs and constructing “One Belt One Road,” along with other relevant work units and experts.
July 27: The State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs and the MPS release guidance regarding the issuance of work permits for foreign NGO employees working at representative offices or carrying out temporary activities in China.
August: The State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development formulates guidelines for its own handling of foreign NGO requests related to serving as a PSU or partnering for a temporary activity.
September: The State Forestry Administration formulates guidelines relating to its own cooperation and exchange with foreign NGOs.
November: The National People’s Congress revises the accounting law, correspondingly altering article 24 of the Foreign NGO Law as it relates to employing accounting personnel.
Over the course of 2017, 305 foreign NGOs, representing 29 countries and regions, established representative office in China, while 487 NGOs from 21 countries and regions filed for temporary activities. Public security personnel around the country held 260 publicity activities, with nearly 10,000 total participants; 50 briefings, with representatives from more than 300 NGOs and more than 1,000 total attendees; and 70 meetings with other Chinese government agencies.
Today, a number of provinces held events to publicize the Foreign NGO Law:
The Heilongjiang PSB Foreign NGO Management Office distributed 10,000 copies of the Foreign NGO Law and related materials to cities, public security offices, and PSUs across the province; put out Chinese and English videos on a variety of platforms; and visited government offices and local communities in several cities to hand out materials and information.
The Jiangsu PSB Foreign NGO Management Office, in conjunction with the Nanjing city PSB Foreign NGO Management Office, held publicity activities at Nanjing Normal University, including meetings with relevant departments and setting up large display boards.
The Shandong province and Jinan city PSBs held a publicity event on Shandong University’s central campus, attended by the deputy head of the Shandong PSB and the vice secretary of Shandong University’s Party Committee, as well as by relevant university departments, teachers, and students, and locally-based foreign NGOs.
In Guangxi, the PSB departments involved in foreign NGO work hung banners, set out display boards, and sent out publicity materials. In a number of cities, they organized local public security, civil affairs, education, human resources and social security, health, and finance departments to disseminate related information via video, banners, posters, and in-person explanations. In other cities, personnel went to government offices, schools, and communities to raise awareness; personnel also visited poor, minority, and remote areas to publicize the law.
In Hainan, the Hainan PSB Foreign NGO Management Office and the Hainan Party Committee Education Working Committee separately held events at Hainan University and Sanya University, answering questions and providing informational materials.
The Ningxia PSB Foreign NGO Management Office visited foreign NGOs working in Ningxia, as well as organizations such as Ningxia University and North Minzu University that frequently cooperate with foreign NGOs, hold discussions, answer questions, give out informational materials, and explain related processes.