China
The politics of China’s internet philanthropy
Author: Jian Xu, Deakin University
In China’s dynamic philanthropy sector, ‘internet philanthropy’ (hulianwang cishan) is now a leading trend. This refers to the new forms of ‘e-giving’ that allow ordinary people to make low-cost, fast and flexible donations through digital platforms — such as crowdfunding, online peer-to-peer donations, online charity auctions, and running for charity.
Internet philanthropy emerged in China in 2005 when two charitable organisations set up charity e-shops on Taobao. The ‘Free Lunch for Children’ campaign initiated by Deng Fei in 2011 and the ‘Love Save Pneumoconiosis’ project initiated by Wang Keqin that same year made internet philanthropy a buzzword.
Inspired by these two projects, China’s internet philanthropy grew when China’s major internet enterprises — including Sina, Tencent, Alibaba and Baidu — established their own dedicated online charity platforms. China’s existing social media platforms and e-payment systems, such as Weibo, WeChat and Alipay, have been key for the rise of internet philanthropy, providing the digital infrastructure for online fundraising and donations.
The Guo Meimei scandal in 2011 plunged the Red Cross and other official philanthropic organisations into a crisis of credibility. This created perfect conditions for a boom in internet philanthropy, which is widely regarded as more participatory, efficient, transparent and reliable.
The government soon harnessed this new trend. In 2015, Premier Li Keqiang proposed the Internet Plus (hulianwang jia) initiative. The initiative primarily aims to use digital technologies to re-energise traditional industries, but is also applied to various public service sectors such as social work, employment, community management and philanthropy.
The implementation of ‘Internet Plus philanthropy’ marks the start of the centralisation of China’s internet philanthropy. In August 2015, the government set up the China Internet Development Foundation (CIDF) — a public foundation registered with the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) and managed by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) as the leading foundation to promote internet philanthropy.
At the 2015 World Internet Conference held in Wuzhen, the CIDF launched the initiative ‘Let the Internet Become a Sea of Love: Proposal to Develop Internet Philanthropy’. In collaboration with China’s leading internet enterprises, this formed the first national alliance to develop internet philanthropy. Since 2016, the CAC — China’s central internet regulator — initiated the ‘Internet Philanthropy Project’ (wangluo gongyi gongcheng). The project annually selects, awards and propagandises advanced philanthropic organisations, online charity projects, volunteers and local CAC branches for their achievements.
The government is also increasing the regulation of internet philanthropy in order to ensure its legitimacy. The MCA has accredited 20 online charity platforms as legitimate channels for public fundraising online. In July 2017, the MCA issued two standards to strengthen supervision of online charity platforms to promote transparency and equity. The enforcement of the 2016 Charity Law and 2017 Foreign NGO Law introduced further restrictions on NGOs and foundations at home and abroad conducting charitable activities in China.
Why has the Chinese government embraced internet philanthropy, and what are the politics of promoting and centralising it?
Calling on internet enterprises to embark on internet philanthropy is a soft approach to governing China’s cyberspace. Different from the traditional hardline regulation, internet enterprises’ collective promotion of internet philanthropy through their digital platforms could produce a cyberspace with more ‘positive energy’ (zhengnengliang) content and subtly influence people’s everyday internet use.
The CAC guides these enterprises’ internet philanthropy work. For internet enterprises, embarking on internet philanthropy gives them a positive reputation. Ingratiating themselves with the state could also ensure they receive tax revenue support from the state for sustainable economic gain. This win-win situation could create a more sanitised cyberspace while bringing long-term profitability to internet enterprises.
Internet philanthropy is also an effective means to govern NGOs. NGOs often seek to organise their own institutions and harness citizen participation and engagement for policymaking and social change. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) views NGOs as a potential…
China
Is journalist Vicky Xu preparing to return to China?
Chinese social media influencers have recently claimed that prominent Chinese-born Australian journalist Vicky Xu had posted a message saying she planned to return to China.
There is no evidence for this. The source did not provide evidence to support the claim, and Xu herself later confirmed to AFCL that she has no such plans.
Currently working as an analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, or ASPI, Xu has previously written for both the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, or ABC, and The New York Times.
A Chinese language netizen on X initially claimed on March 31 that the changing geopolitical relations between Sydney and Beijing had caused Xu to become an expendable asset and that she had posted a message expressing a strong desire to return to China. An illegible, blurred photo of the supposed message accompanied the post.
This claim was retweeted by a widely followed influencer on the popular Chinese social media site Weibo one day later, who additionally commented that Xu was a “traitor” who had been abandoned by Australian media.
Following the publication of an ASPI article in 2021 which exposed forced labor conditions in Xinjiang co-authored by Xu, the journalist was labeled “morally bankrupt” and “anti-China” by the Chinese state owned media outlet Global Times and subjected to an influx of threatening messages and digital abuse, eventually forcing her to temporarily close several of her social media accounts.
AFCL found that neither Xu’s active X nor LinkedIn account has any mention of her supposed return to China, and received the following response from Xu herself about the rumor:
“I can confirm that I don’t have plans to go back to China. I think if I do go back I’ll most definitely be detained or imprisoned – so the only career I’ll be having is probably going to be prison labor or something like that, which wouldn’t be ideal.”
Neither a keyword search nor reverse image search on the photo attached to the original X post turned up any text from Xu supporting the netizens’ claims.
Translated by Shen Ke. Edited by Shen Ke and Malcolm Foster.
Asia Fact Check Lab (AFCL) was established to counter disinformation in today’s complex media environment. We publish fact-checks, media-watches and in-depth reports that aim to sharpen and deepen our readers’ understanding of current affairs and public issues. If you like our content, you can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X.
Read the rest of this article here >>> Is journalist Vicky Xu preparing to return to China?
China
Guide for Foreign Residents: Obtaining a Certificate of No Criminal Record in China
Foreign residents in China can request a criminal record check from their local security bureau. This certificate may be required for visa applications or job opportunities. Requirements and procedures vary by city. In Shanghai, foreigners must have lived there for 180 days with a valid visa to obtain the certificate.
Foreign residents living in China can request a criminal record check from the local security bureau in the city in which they have lived for at least 180 days. Certificates of no criminal record may be required for people leaving China, or those who are starting a new position in China and applying for a new visa or residence permit. Taking Shanghai as an example, we outline the requirements for obtaining a China criminal record check.
Securing a Certificate of No Criminal Record, often referred to as a criminal record or criminal background check, is a crucial step for various employment opportunities, as well as visa applications and residency permits in China. Nevertheless, navigating the process can be a daunting task due to bureaucratic procedures and language barriers.
In this article, we use Shanghai as an example to explore the essential information and steps required to successfully obtain a no-criminal record check. Requirements and procedures may differ in other cities and counties in China.
Note that foreigners who are not currently living in China and need a criminal record check to apply for a Chinese visa must obtain the certificate from their country of residence or nationality, and have it notarized by a Chinese embassy or consulate in that country.
Foreigners who have a valid residence permit and have lived in Shanghai for at least 180 days can request a criminal record check in the city. This means that the applicant will also need to currently have a work, study, or other form of visa or stay permit that allows them to live in China long-term.
If a foreigner has lived in another part of China and is planning to or has recently moved to Shanghai, they will need to request a criminal record check in the place where they previously spent at least 180 days.
There are two steps to obtaining a criminal record certificate in Shanghai: requesting the criminal record check from the Public Security Bureau (PSB) and getting the resulting Certificate of No Criminal Record notarized by an authorized notary agency.
This article is republished from China Briefing. Read the rest of the original article.
China Briefing is written and produced by Dezan Shira & Associates. The practice assists foreign investors into China and has done since 1992 through offices in Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Suzhou, Guangzhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Please contact the firm for assistance in China at china@dezshira.com.
China
China Unveils Plan to Upgrade Industrial Equipment
China unveiled a comprehensive action plan for upgrading industrial equipment, with a focus on driving technological innovation and economic growth. The plan, released on April 9, 2024, aims to enhance competitiveness and sustainability within the manufacturing sector through extensive investment and regulatory support.
China announced an ambitious action plan for industrial equipment upgrading, which aims to drive technological innovation and economic growth through extensive investment and regulatory support.
On April 9, 2024, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and six other departments jointly released a notice introducing the Implementation Plan for Promoting Equipment Renewal in the Industrial Sector (hereafter referred to as the “action plan”).
Finalized earlier on March 23, 2024, this comprehensive action plan addresses critical issues related to technological innovation and economic development. It reflects China’s proactive stance in enhancing competitiveness and sustainability within its manufacturing sector. The initiative underscores the recognition of industrial equipment upgrading as a top policy priority.
The scope of China’s action plan to upgrade industrial equipment in manufacturing, is extensive, covering various aspects such as:
In line with China’s ambitious goals for industrial modernization and sustainable development, the action plan outlines several key objectives aimed at driving substantial advancements in the industrial sector by 2027.
These objectives encompass a wide range of areas, from increasing investment to enhancing digitalization and promoting innovation, including:
The objectives and key actions proposed in the action plan are summarized below.
This article is republished from China Briefing. Read the rest of the original article.
China Briefing is written and produced by Dezan Shira & Associates. The practice assists foreign investors into China and has done since 1992 through offices in Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Suzhou, Guangzhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Please contact the firm for assistance in China at china@dezshira.com.
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