Regulating foreign NGOs important and imperative

By Liu Zhun Source:Global Times Published: 2016-5-24 1:11:05

Japanese newspaper The Asahi Shimbun revealed last Tuesday that the Washington-based National Endowment for Democracy (NED) has funneled a massive total of $96.52 million to at least 103 civil groups in China involved in the democracy movement and human rights activities. Of that amount, $6.25 million was contributed to groups backing Tibet separatism, such as the Tibetan Youth Congress and $5.56 million went to groups promoting Uyghur separatism and terrorism, such as the World Uyghur Congress.

The Japanese newspaper said the relevant information comes from several documents it acquired. The revealed information offered some clues for China to understand how foreign NGOs work in China, but not as a gauge to judge the legality of their activities. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to the disclosure, saying the report "shows that it is important and imperative for China to enact and enforce the Foreign NGO Management Law."

The NED is famous, or infamous, for promoting democracy, as it claims. Administered as a private organization, its funding mostly comes from Congress appropriation.

All through these years, the so-called NGO is believed to have been involved in a lot of political subversions, social turmoil and regime changes in areas that are of strategic importance to the US.

Meanwhile, of all the foreign NGOs that boast high degrees of transparency, the NED has been criticized for lack of openness and so have these anti-China organizations it keeps funding. The existence of NED-styled NGOs, which are fomenting social instability under the cover of democracy and human rights, deserves particular attention of non-Western countries. China was thus driven to formulate a management law for foreign NGOs this April.

Pinning down the rule of law in this field will better service well-intentioned foreign NGOs in their real humanitarian work to improve the well-being of the Chinese. Meanwhile, the law can protect China from being encroached upon by ill-disposed organizations that intend to instigate political and social turbulence.

Regardless of doubt and defamation, China's insistence on the rule of law in managing foreign NGOs is a legitimate and necessary move. Management of NGOs is common practice across the globe. After the September 11 attacks, the US government banned several NGOs that were found to have connections with terrorism. How come China's regulation, especially against illegal separatist and terrorist groups, has raised "protests" thousands of miles away in the US?

These NGOs with ulterior motives and their patrons shouldn't underestimate China's determination to fend off threats to its national interest, nor should they beef about China's actions. China won't hesitate to wield its legitimate and legal power to do what is right.



Posted in: Observer

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