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Rise in Mainland Philanthropy

Positive PR, the trend for ‘giving while living’ and a desire not to spoil your child are all factors contributing to the rise in Chinese philanthropy.    The 2009 Hurun Philanthropy List (a type of Chinese Forbes) shows that a number of mega wealthy Chinese are leaders in giving.  The Li Ka-Shing Foundation was on the list of the wealthiest foundations with an endowment of over US$10 billion.  Already China has more millionaires than Britain and for the first time the most millionaires outside the US, according to the annual rich list in Forbes magazine.  An HSBC affluence survey showed that only around one in 10 affluent Chinese inherited their wealth, suggesting that many of them are self made.  Self made entrepreneurs are proving more generous in giving than those who inherit their wealth. (more…)

Please join us for the launch of the Second Edition of the Charitarian magazine.  Vice-Mayor Wang Liwei, Editor of the Charitarian, will speak on “What is the role of foreign companies and NGO’s in China in 2010?” To hear the latest news from Mr. Wang, after his attendance at the Ministry of Civil Affairs meeting held in Beijing last week and the Asia Media Conference, join us at Today Art Museum on Thursday evening.  He will provide an up to the minute report on the role foreign companies and international NGO’s are expected to play in China’s development in the next five years.  As China grows in global stature the Government are committed to reducing the domestic wealth gap through the development of charitable foundations and social enterprises. Wang Liwei will outline the legal infrastructure and incentive schemes that will underpin this process.

This will be a fairly intimate gathering with a background of inspiring modern art. Hot food and drink will be provided and we encourage you to stay behind and chat informally with Wang Liwei; he will feedback your views to central government to contribute to the development of sustainable international business and domestic civil society in China.

A hot buffet and drinks will be served in the hope that you can stay to enjoy the art and chat with the diverse crowd that this event often attracts.

Thursday 15 April, 6:30 – 9:00 pm
Main Entrance of Today Art Museum
Theme: What is the role of foreign companies and NGO’s in China in 2010?
Speaker: Vice-Mayor, Wang Liwei, Editor of the Charitarian
Cost: 150 RMB includes a buffet and drinks and a free copy of the Charitarian 2nd Edition.  All proceeds will go Haiti Beijing Student Appeal.

No Press coverage allowed.  Thank you.

RSVPs are essential. This is an invite only event.  Please register here.

Pearson, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Manager of DLA Piper UK LLP Beijing, says being different can lead to social isolation, especially if you do not conform to certain etiquette. “In London, drinking and going to the pub is a form of social bonding, which most lawyers do after work. As I don’t drink, I didn’t fit into this social scene, so I carved out different social circles for myself.” In China, she adds, lawyers are extremely tolerant of social differences, and they are good at embracing diversity, unlike the situation in Britain, which remains a relatively conformist society. (more…)

While it is becoming clearer that Oxfam Hong Kong has fallen foul of the mainland’s education departments, crucial questions remain unanswered, including what the charity has done to deserve such treatment and what it means for other NGOs on the mainland. (more…)

After three years as a strictly Chinese language magazine the Charitarian has published its first English edition.

The Magazine aims to coverage issues that could be helped by a concerned public.

It aims to bring such stories to the English speaking world for the first time.

Jeremy Nuttall reports. (more…)

Beijing resident Clare Pearson talks about her experiences of Chinese New Year in the nation’s capital, including where best to view the fireworks, what food to look out for and why sticking around in town is one of the best ways to appreciate this unique event.  Listen to the interview here.  (Windows Media Player necessary)

He’s a Chinese government official. She’s a British lawyer. Together they publish a magazine that hopes to lift a veil of illegitimacy clouding a local NGO scene that’s thriving in a gray area of Chinese society.

Edited by Wang Liwei, vice-mayor of Guan County in Shandong Province, and Clare Pearson, a lawyer at the Beijing offices of DLA Piper, The Charitarian wants to encourage the local non-profit sector by informing NGOs about how to operate within government goal and guidelines. (more…)

cctf

Who are CCTF?

CCTF is the oldest Chinese Government Charity established in 1973.  It is responsible for government policy on everything from the school curriculum to practical ways in which to help narrow the gap between the early life experiences of urban and rural children and teenagers in China.   (more…)

22 September – 10 October 2009

The third sector in China is changing.  Six years ago you were not allowed to run charities and NGO’s in China because ‘officially’ there was not disparity between rich and poor.  The position in 2010 is very different.  Conscious of the growing wealth gap, the Government is now positively trying to cultivate a third sector economy (Government, grassroots and foreign NGO’s).  The sector is embryonic but the legal and training infrastructure is being created to encourage its development.  Wang Liwei (Vice-Mayor Guan County, Shandong and Editor Charitarian magazine) and Clare Pearson (CSR Manager at DLA Piper, Asia) visited the UK for three weeks to observe how the British Government perceive the third sector as a complement rather than competition to their services.

(more…)