By Wang Jian (王剑), China Science News (中国科学报), April 15, 2013
Interview with Jia Xijin, vice-president of Tsinghua’s NGO Research Center, about the space for growth for Chinese NGOs. Jia notes that recent years have seen major developments in the professionalization and innovation of the sector. He describes a wider policy space for NGOs, most notably in terms of the four types of NGOs (industry associations, science and technology groups, public interest organizations, and community service organizations), although he notes that these changes will not extend to other groups such as legal aid organizations and international organizations whose work is more sensitive. Despite the significant developments in the field, Jia points out that other countries’ civil society sectors utilize a more clear division of labor among the different aspects of their work, which allows for greater professionalization and specialization. When asked about the preference of some members of the public to allow the government to handle charity matters, Jia responds that in fact, he believes that the government should not be involved with charity at all, and argues that in some countries it would be illegal for a business to donate money to the government.
