Along with the profound changes in China's socio-economic environment,
various economic factors and means of distribution have emerged,
giving rise to new interest groups and forming a more diversified
framework. Statistics show that five percent of the Chinese
population may now be classified as rich and 60 percent are
above the official poverty line. However, a disadvantageous
stratum has also taken shape, including the disabled, orphaned,
childless elderly, rural dwellers in poverty-stricken areas,
the unemployed and laid-off workers in urban areas and those
reduced to poverty by disasters and accidents, according to
CPPCC member Wang Heling in his speech to the fourth session
of the Ninth CPPCC National Committee which convened between
March 3-12 in Beijing.
Despite the manifest
success of the government's poverty relief plan, there are
still a number of rural residents below the poverty line.
High unemployment will, in the long run, curtail the development
of social welfare, said Wang.
He further argued
that under the market economy, a charity system should be
developed in response to social problems, giving care and
aid to various disadvantaged groups. This will be conducive
to the development of social welfare and to social stability
and advancement. Governments at various levels and personage
of all walks of life should work together to foster the maturity
of such a system.
According to Wang,
old-fashioned charity donation alone is no longer sufficient.
China should learn from the advanced countries to build up
and improve charity work in four aspects, namely charity fund
raising, fund operation and management, feedback of fund application
and promotion of charity drives.
With government
support, guidance by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, civil
charity organizations should be promoted that feature self-management
and self-rule, in order to attract giving from various social
groups, enterprises, religious groups and both domestic and
overseas donors. In cities, charity work can find a niche
in community service whereas in the rural area, it is part
of poverty relief. Famous projects like the Hope Project can
be better organized to play a bigger role in social welfare,
said Wang.
(CIIC by Gao Kun
03/14/2001)
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