China Philanthropy News
Summer 2009
Issue 020

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China Philanthropy News is produced by Grantmakers Without Borders (Gw/oB) for grantmaking organizations, donors and individuals interested in philanthropic engagement with China. It provides current news on giving, links to useful research, books reviews and other resources to provide a better understanding of the landscape of philanthropy in the country. For more information about Grantmakers Without Borders, visit www.gwob.net.

CONTENTS

Current NEWS

Philanthropy and Civil Society
1) Challenges of Chinese philanthropy
2) The state of Chinese philanthropy a year after the killer quake
3) Jet Li, China's pusher of philanthropy
4) Cai Dewang, China's Bill Gates of giving
5) Yu Panglin, China's philanthropist
6) Gates Foundation gives $33 million to fight tuberculosis in China
7) Kobe's next conquest: China
8) Downturn hurts China charities
9) Setting up international nonprofit organizations in China

The Environment
10) China has no choice but to address climate change

Health
11) China to provide universal health care by 2020
12) China's $125 billion health reform holds challenges
13) China to insure orphans as preventative health measure
14) Why China takes no risks with flu
15) Scale of mental illness in China underestimated
16) Yale and Tsinghua University to develop healthcare leadership in China
17) HIV/AIDS deaths on the rise in China
18) Belatedly, China spreads word about HIV prevention
19) China facing burden from chronic disease
20) Rural China misses 'barefoot doctors'

Microfinance
21) A hand up: Microfinance in china
22) Mixed success for microfinance in China

Population
23) Is China's one-child policy heading for a revision?
24) Chinese Bias for Baby Boys Creates a Gap of 32 Million
25) China's one-child policy causing working-age population to shrink
26) China says most women want two or more babies
27) Chinese hunger for sons fuels boys' abductions
28) Report says China facing looming aging crisis
29) Government investing heavily in aging generation

Human Rights
30) China failed to improve human rights in 2008
31) China pledges to improve human rights
32) Comrades-in-arms: The long march out of the closet
33) More and more, rural China is going to the polls
34) In China, parents mourn children abducted by traffickers
35) Despite law, job conditions worsen in China
36) Beijing adds curbs on access to Internet
37) Death toll debated in China's rioting
38) Beijing's ethnic policy faces data challenge

Useful RESOURCES
39) Report: From poor areas to poor people: China's evolving poverty reduction agenda, an assessment of poverty and inequality in China
40) Study: China's excess males, sex selective abortion, and one child policy: Analysis of data from 2005 national intercensus survey
41) Report: Post-earthquake relief and reconstruction efforts: The emergence of civil society in China?
42) Report: Environmental activism, social networks and the Internet

BOOK Reviews
43) Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China, Leslie T Chang. New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2008
44) Social Policy in China: Development and Well-being, Chak Kwan Chan, King Lun Ngok and David Phillips. Bristol: The Policy Press, 2008
45) Inequality and Growth in Modern China, Guang Huawan (editor), Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008

- Current NEWS -

Philanthropy and Civil Society

1) Challenges of Chinese philanthropy
Philanthropy in China has faced many challenges, from the legal infrastructure and corruption to human resource and capacity. Some of the problems include transparency and accountability of government organizations, the need for experts and the insufficient resource pool currently working in the philanthropic sector. While many in China still consider corporate social responsibility as philanthropy, this article also broaches some of the different ways to think about philanthropy, including corporate citizenship. As reported by CSR Asia at http://www.give2asiaforum.org/files/challengesinchinesephilanthropy-1.pdf.

2) The state of Chinese philanthropy a year after the killer quake
Since the earthquake in China last year, has philanthropy and volunteerism been sustained? According to the Public Radio International program, donations were only a fraction of that of the previous year; volunteerism, however, has been bolstered, with nearly 10 million people volunteering in some capacity in the last year. As reported by the Chronicle of Philanthropy at http://philanthropy.com/giveandtake/index.php?id=1054.

3) Jet Li, China's pusher of philanthropy
From action hero to philanthropist, Jet Li and his One Foundation has made remarkable contributions to catalyzing charity and philanthropy in China. Spurred by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, he has since taken his charity to new heights, trying to find effective models to build on. He has now turned his efforts towards developing a business model, and has fashioned the foundation on a publicly traded business accountable to its shareholders; transparency is a key ingredient. In a country that has one of the fastest growing economies and wealthy populations in the world, Li is encouraging everyone to donate 1 yuan. As reported by The Washington Post at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/30/AR2009013003594.html.

4) Cai Dewang, China's Bill Gates of giving
Glass tycoon Cao Dewang recently noted that he wants to donate 676 million company shares his family holds to set up a charity foundation, the Chengdu Business Daily recently reported. If the foundation is approved by state authorities, it would be the first to be based entirely on stocks, the Fujian Charity Federation said. The fund would be used to provide school grants, disaster relief, subsidies for the poor and financial support to religious groups around the country, said the report, which did not say how the shares would be turned into cash. As reported by Shanghai Daily at http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2009/200902/20090218/article_391445.htm.

5) Yu Panglin, China's philanthropist
Yu Panglin, a real estate developer in China, was named the top philanthropist in the Hurun Report. From rags to riches, he endured labor camps through the Cultural Revolution only to move to Hong Kong, where he swept the streets until he landed a job at a Shanghai real estate company; here, he slowly learned the ropes and eventually began his own trade. He hopes to set an example and encourage other business people to donate. As reported by the Asia Sentinel at http://asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1820&Itemid=189.

6) Gates Foundation gives $33 million to fight tuberculosis in China
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has committed $33 million to fight tuberculosis in China. New tests and treatments will be tested in six provinces before expanding coverage to 100 million people within five years. TB kills more than 200,000 people each year in China, which is home to 15 percent of the world's cases, according to the World Health Organization. As reported as Yahoo Tech at http://tech.yahoo.com/news/pcworld/20090401/tc_pcworld/gatesgives33millionfortuberculosisinchina_1.

7) Kobe's next conquest: China
Already beloved by the Chinese people, basketball star Kobe Bryant is establishing the Kobe Bryant China Fund. The organization will partner with the Soong Ching Ling Foundation, a charity backed by the Chinese government, to raise money within China earmarked for education and health programs. Mr. Bryant's existing fund, the Kobe Bryant Family Foundation, will also work to strengthen ties between the two countries by teaching middle-school students in the US about Chinese language and culture. Reported by the Wall Street Journal at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052970204556804574258222289862830.html.

8) Downturn hurts China charities
The economic crisis has been felt everywhere in China, but NGOs have been particularly hard hit, having to cut back their programs and, in extreme cases, close down offices. Because the registration laws for China are ambiguous, many organizations are unable to register, which precludes them from seeking funds domestically. As reported by Al Jazeera at http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2009/04/200941633111969475.html

9) Setting up international nonprofit organizations in China
Over the years, the number of international nonprofit organizations in China has continued to grow. Though there continues to be a need for their presence to combat social issues, the legal structures and registration process in the country makes it difficult to set up and maintain a presence. This article looks at some of the continued challenges nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations face in China, and what this means for the future of charities. As reported by the Chinese Business Review at http://www.chinabusinessreview.com/public/0905/inpo.html.

The Environment

10) China has no choice but to address climate change
China attaches great importance to tackling climate change. In 2007, it established the national leading group on climate change (NLGCC), headed by Premier Wen Jiabao. That same year, China issued its national climate change program, the first ever by a developing country, which set an objective to lower its energy consumption per unit of GDP by 20% by 2010 against 2005 levels. In its mid- and long-term plan for the development of renewable energy, China also set an objective of increasing the proportion of renewables in the primary energy mix to 10% by 2010, and to 15% by 2020. To achieve such objectives, China has adopted a series of effective policies and measures, achieving remarkable progress. As reported by the Guardian at http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/cif-green/2009/may/27/china-climate-change.

Health

11) China to provide universal health care by 2020
In an attempt to reform its health care system, China hopes to provide universal health care to its citizens and aims to extend some form of basic health care insurance to 90 percent of the population. Currently, only 30 percent are covered. Under the new reforms, hospitals and clinics in the poor countryside and less developed cities would be improved and the price of essential medicines would be capped. As reported by Associated Press at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090406/ap_on_re_as/as_china_health_reform_2.

12) China's $125 billion health reform holds challenges
While China is embarking on an overhaul of its health care system, some warn that challenges still lie ahead, and there will still be individuals not insured by the system. Better health coverage could potentially create a huge market, attractive to foreign pharmaceutical and health service providers, but China's health plan still regulates drug prices and limits participation by international insurers. Moreover, it still calls on local governments to contribute to costs, which is still a burden. As reported by Reuters at http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090408/hl_nm/us_china_health_1.
More on this topic can be found at http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/08/china-health-care-markets-equity-stimulus.html

13) China to insure orphans as preventative health measure
A new program to insure China's estimated 573,000 orphans under the age of 18 has been launched, providing them with special public welfare insurance under the China Children Insurance Foundation. There are about 360 million children in China. Less than half are covered by the commercial medical insurance system or social welfare system, and even those who are covered cannot afford expensive treatments for a disease like leukemia. As reported by Xinhua at http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-07/21/content_11745889.htm.

14) Why China takes no risks with flu
In an attempt to prevent those infected with swine flu from entering the country and preventing its transmission inside the country, China has been taking aggressive measures by requiring self-quarantine from its own citizens and quarantining foreigners who show symptoms of infection. Thus far, there have been no deaths in the country due to the flu, and about 1,500 confirmed cases. China claims its aggressive measures have been much more successful than strategies used in other countries to combat the flu. As reported by BBC at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8159158.stm.

15) Scale of mental illness in China underestimated
A recent study in the Lancet suggests that as many as 173 million adults in China, or 13 percent of the population, have some form of mental disorder, and about 158 million of them have never received any professional help. Only 8 percent ever sought professional help, and only 5 percent ever saw a mental health professional. As reported by Reuters at http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090612/lf_nm_life/us_china_mentalillness_1

16) Yale and Tsinghua University to develop healthcare leadership in China
The Global Health Leadership Institute at Yale University is partnering with Tsinghua University to launch a four-year leadership development program in healthcare management for women in China. This is based on studies that have shown investments in women yield significant economic and social returns. The program is designed to help leaders and managers improve the effectiveness and sustainability of the country's health care system. As reported by Yale University at http://opa.yale.edu/news/article.aspx?id=6805.

17) HIV/AIDS deaths on the rise in China
UNAIDS estimates that 30 to 50 million people remain vulnerable to HIV/AIDS in China. Since 2008, the epidemic has taken the lead in deaths by infectious disease, and the country faces tremendous challenges in combating this issue. Sex remains a taboo subject, making many prevention efforts difficult to carry out. Social stigmas continue to face infected individuals, and more attention needs to be focused on high-risk groups. As reported by Time magazine at http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1890270,00.html?xid=rss-world.

18) Belatedly, China spreads word about HIV prevention
In recent years, the government has been sparing no efforts towards raising awareness about HIV/AIDS and embarking in tremendous prevention and education campaigns to get out the word, albeit belatedly. In the 1980s, the state virtually denied the existence of the disease, which has had consequences for the spread of HIV. Despite increased awareness, however, a recent study showed that 48 percent of people still thought AIDS was spread by mosquitoes. As reported by the LA Times at http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-aids-china20-2008dec20,0,1249877.story.

19) China facing burden from chronic disease
The health care system in China is being burdened by the continuing increase of chronic diseases, including heart disease, hypertension and diabetes. About 20 percent of the population suffers from heart disease, and about 80 percent of all deaths are attributed to this group of illness. Some efforts towards treating this has been put under the national health plan, which aims to provide universal health care; the plan will try and increase the number of urban and rural residents incorporated by the plan, and provide better access to treatment and medications. As reported by the China Post at http://www.chinapost.com.tw/health/other/2009/02/28/198125/China-facing.htm.

20) Rural China misses Ôbarefoot doctors'
This article looks at the change in the rural health care system, and the gradual weakening of the infrastructure that has led to many of its problems today. With many changes in policies, such as shorter years of training for doctors and the switch from physicians to village doctors to provide rural health care, the rural health care system became stymied in providing only basic health care, but nothing beyond. In the 1970s and 80s, the system began to collapse as a result of economic liberalization and privatization. As reported by the Asia Times online at http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/KA16Ad04.html.

Microfinance

21) A hand up: Microfinance in china
This article looks at the rise in microfinance programs in China and some of the problems with the models. While private lending was legalized, poverty alleviation is not always the primary goal. Other institutions such as banks and international organizations are also heavily invested in this sector. Many believe that with further governmental reform, including better oversight, microfinance can be an effective way of addressing poverty in China and encouraging sustainability. As reported by US-China Today at http://uschina.usc.edu/(A(C8755U3VyQEkAAAAMjI2Zjc0M2ItNWQ1Yi00OTUyLWFkMWMtNjEyZmM1ZDYzNzE0sci7AJgulwboVJLFPke_c-6s6sg1)S(1biedy55qzwrjq45hgdfh055))/ShowFeature.aspx?articleID=3440&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1.

22) Mixed success for microfinance in China
China's microfinance institutions (MFIs) have not had the same success as their counterparts claim in places like Bangladesh, where Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohammad Yunus pioneered the industry with the Grameen Bank. While many MFIs in South Asia have clients numbering in the millions, most of China's organizations remain small, generally servicing in the region of 3,000 clients. China's relative underdevelopment in this sector can be largely attributed to an issue of legal status. Since their inception in the mid-90s, traditional MFIs in China have not been officially recognized as legal entities and have thus been unable to take on any sort of debt investments. More at http://www.cibmagazine.com.cn/Features/Economy.asp?id=782&giant_steps.html.

Population

23) Is China's one-child policy heading for a revision?
Recent remarks made by an official in Shanghai have caused speculation that the one child policy is heading towards a revision. However, officials state that the policy allowing couples who are both single children to have two children is a long-standing policy that has been in place for years. The Shanghai municipality stressed it would never introduce any policy running counter to the national policy. However, the attention garnered from this underscores the continued sensitivity of the issue. As reported by Time magazine at http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1912936,00.html?xid=rss-topstories.

24) Chinese Bias for Baby Boys Creates a Gap of 32 Million
China now has an excess of 20 million more boys under the age of 20 than girls. This disparity has surpassed that of every other country. A new study analyzed data from a 2005 census, finding that the disparity was widest among children ages 1 to 4, a sign that the greatest imbalances among the adult population lie ahead. As reported by the New York Times at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/11/world/asia/11china.html?_r=1.

25) China's one-child policy causing working-age population to shrink
China's one child policy, which helped the nation's economic rise, is now contributing to one of its most pressing social problems, the elderly. It is estimated that there will be 468 million elderly, greater than the total US population, and by mid-century individuals over 60 will comprise one third of the total population. In an effort to head off this potential catastrophe, the government has plans to introduce a national pension system. As reported by the Boston Globe at http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2009/07/12/china8217s_one_child_policy_causing_working_age_population_to_shrink/.
More coverage of this topic can be found at http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090724/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_china_babies_1.

26) China says most women want two or more babies
The state media has reported that nearly 83 percent of women want a son and a daughter and that 71 percent would like to have two or more babies. The leading reason is to prevent only children from being spoiled or lonely, claiming that only children grow up to be self-centered. However, some point to the growing imbalance of genders due to the traditional preference for boys. As reported by Reuters at http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090116/lf_nm_life/us_china_babies_1.

27) Chinese hunger for sons fuels boys' abductions
The abduction of boys has been a growing problem in China, particularly in rural areas where families lack a male heir. The centuries-old tradition of cherishing boys, and a custom that dictates that a married woman moves in with her husband's family, is reinforced by a modern reality: Without a real social safety net in China, many parents fear they will be left to fend for themselves in old age. The extent of the problem is a matter of dispute. The Chinese government insists there are fewer than 2,500 cases of human trafficking each year, a figure that includes both women and children. But advocates for abducted children say there may be hundreds of thousands. As reported by the New York Times at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/05/world/asia/05kidnap.html?pagewanted=1&_r=3&ref=global-home.

28) Report says China facing looming aging crisis
A new report warns that China's aging population may not only place undue burden on the country but may affect other countries in the world as well. By 2050, there will be 438 million Chinese aged 60 and over; of those, 103 million will be 80 or older. The study recommends setting up a universal pension system and argues that the failure to do so may send global shockwaves given China's increasing international integration. As reported by Associated Press at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090422/ap_on_re_as/as_china_aging_crisis_1.

29) Government investing heavily in aging generation
In anticipation of a looming aging crisis, the government will build four state-level demonstration bases in four major cities in China to deal with its aging population. Each facility will be allocated 100 to 200 million yuan to improve construction. There are nearly 160 million people in China aged 60 and above, and 6 million more in 2007. In total, this group accounts for 12 percent of the total population. In Beijing alone, the city aims to add 15,000 beds in old-age support facilities, and expected to have 180,000 beds by 2020. As reported by China Daily at http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-04/08/content_7658032.htm.

Human Rights

30) China failed to improve human rights in 2008
Freedom House, a Washington DC-based group, released its 2009 report, which provided an analysis on levels of freedom in almost 200 countries around the globe. The report found that China failed to enact democratic reforms despite promises to do so, and there were continued restrictions on internet access and attacks on journalists in the months leading up to the Olympics. As reported by the Associated Press at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090113/ap_on_re_as/as_taiwan_democracy_report_.1.

31) China pledges to improve human rights
China recently pledged to improve its human rights record in a 52-page report titled the National Human Rights Action Plan. As part of the plan, the government promised its citizens more legal protection, better livelihoods and greater political rights. Some of the additional items it pledged to improve include social security, health care, unemployment and wages. While allowing for greater democracy, the report did not indicate a loosening of state run media. As reported by Agence France Presse at http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090413/wl_afp/chinarightspoliticstiananmen_20090413112216.

32) Comrades-in-arms: The long march out of the closet
Although homosexuality has come a long way in China, the recent shutting down of Shanghai Pride Week reflects the limits of tolerance in the country. Some, however, judged the event a success, not only because 4,000 people attended some eight events, but because there was some cautious media attention that departed from the usual associations made with AIDS and alienation. As reported in the Economist at http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13877186.
More coverage on this topic can be found at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105405434&ft=1&f=1021

33) More and more, rural China is going to the polls
An estimated 450 million rural residents cast ballots for village level elections in 2008, which reflects a growing trend in many areas. Some speculate that with the growing number of migrants returning home, this may actually prove to be a positive development for local politics by allowing villagers to directly elect their local level officials and thereby diverting administrative anger and complaints away from the Party. As reported by Time magazine at http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1892848,00.html?xid=rss-world.

34) In China, parents mourn children abducted by traffickers
An estimated 2,566 children were abducted in China 2008, but there continues to be a lack of attention by both media and police to investigate these kidnappings. Very few children are found, and current laws fail to deter the buying of kidnapped children, particularly in a context of strong patriarchal values in rural societies where households continue to want boys over girls. Recently, pressure by parents, activists and media have resulted in 20 provinces establishing anti-trafficking strategies and increased budgets for enforcement. As reported by Reuters at http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090629/wl_nm/us_china_trafficking_1.
More coverage of this topic can be found at http://www.ippf.org/en/News/Intl+news/China+police+rescue+trafficked+children.htm and http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090611/film_nm/us_china_1.

35) Despite law, job conditions worsen in China
Despite laws in place, factories continue to expose their workers to dangerous conditions, not following safety guidelines and hiring workers well below the legal age. While western companies have tried to step up their monitoring of compliance, they acknowledge that it is difficult to do so in China. The government, however, fears mass layoffs and social unrest if there is too much crackdown on factory violators. As reported by the New York Times at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/23/business/global/23labor.html?_r=4&emc=eta1.

36) Beijing adds curbs on access to Internet
China has stepped up efforts to monitor online content, implementing a series of regulations to restrict online searches. Medical information providers are required to limit searches for articles on sexual subjects, and Google has been under increasing pressure by the government to restrict its search engine. Already, it has disabled the function that suggests terms, and the government briefly blocked access to the main search engine. As reported by the New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/26/world/asia/26china.html?_r=1&ref=technology
More coverage on this topic can be found at http://tech.yahoo.com/news/zd/20090626/tc_zd/241776.

37) Death toll debated in China's rioting
Chinese authorities have raised the official death toll in the rioting of Xinjiang province to 184 and estimate the number of injured as more than 1,000 people.. Official reports claim that the majority of those killed are Han Chinese, but leaders of Uighur exile groups claim that the numbers are being misrepresented and that the number of Uighurs killed could be in the thousands. As reported by the Washington Post at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/11/AR2009071100464.html?hpid=topnews.
Additional coverage of this topic can be found at http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2009/07/200978151043392638.html

38) Beijing's ethnic policy faces data challenge
Despite the recent unrest in China's Xinjiang region, the government defends its policies on ethnic minorities. Studies have shown there is an increasing income gap between Han Chinese and ethnic minorities, particularly in poor, rural areas. Although there are some affirmative action policies that may benefit ethnic minorities, many live in poor areas and are subject to discrimination, racism and have little control over their governments. The events in Xinjiang underscore the continuing ethnic tensions that continue to fester in the country. As reported by the Wall Street Journal at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124816735513967749.html.

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- Useful RESOURCES -

39) Report: From poor areas to poor people: China's evolving poverty reduction agenda, an assessment of poverty and inequality in China
China's progress in poverty reduction over the last 25 years has been remarkable. Poverty in terms of income and consumption has been dramatically reduced, and progress has also been substantial in terms of human development indicators. Most of the Millennium Development Goals have either already been achieved or the country is well on the way to achieving them. As a result of this progress, the country is now at a very different stage of development than it was at the dawn of the economic reforms at the beginning of the 1980s. The central thesis of this report is that the task of poverty reduction in many ways continues and in some respects has become more demanding. At http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/EASTASIAPACIFICEXT/CHINAEXTN/0,,contentMDK:22131856~pagePK:141137~piPK:141127~theSitePK:318950,00.html.

40) Study: China's excess males, sex selective abortion, and one child policy: Analysis of data from 2005 national intercensus survey
This study seeks to elucidate current trends and geographical patterns in the sex ratio at birth and in the population aged under 20 in China and to determine the roles played by sex-selective abortion and the one child policy. In 2005, males under the age of 20 exceeded females by more than 32 million in China, and more than 1.1 million excess births of boys occurred. China will see very high and steadily worsening sex ratios in the reproductive age group over the next two decades. Enforcing the existing ban on sex selective abortion could lead to normalization of the ratios. At http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/701949.

41) Report: Post-earthquake relief and reconstruction efforts: The emergence of civil society in China?
Many analysts contend that participation in the Sichuan earthquake relief efforts strengthened Chinese civil society. This report examines these claims based on interviews with civil society organizations, academics and local officials in Sichuan and argues that participation in relief efforts has strengthened civil society through increased capacity, publicity and interaction with local government. Conversely, relief efforts also reveal weaknesses in civil society and their governing institutions which inhibit further development, such as the trust and capacity deficit of these organizations. Participation in relief efforts served as a learning process whereby government, society and civil society groups learned how to work together effectively. However, in order to consolidate these gains and further strengthen civil society, there must be greater institutionalization of these groups' roles, increased capacity building, and greater trust between society, groups and the local state. Report attached.

42) Report: Environmental activism, social networks and the Internet
Social networks and the Internet both have a substantial individual effect on environmental activism in China. In this article, the authors speculate that social linking patterns between environmental actors, which often facilitate activism on the ground, may also exist in cyberspace in the form of an online network. The article addresses the following empirical questions: Does such an online network exist? If so, who are the constituent actors? Are these the same actors observed on the ground? In addressing these questions the article aims to contribute to the growing debate on the implications of the Internet for the potential emergence of social movements in China. Report attached.

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- Latest BOOKS -

43) Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China, Leslie T Chang. New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2008

Reviewed by Dr. Rachel Golden

How does migration affect the identities and destinies of Chinese factory women? This is the question that Leslie Chang, former Wall Street Journal Beijing correspondent, sets out to explore in "Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China." The book is based on interviews with hundreds of factory women working in Dongguan, a major industrial city in south China. However, it is the voices, or personal stories, of a handful of women that Chang befriended over those years, that largely frame the book.

Be forewarned. There is a lot of useful information in this book. But it is also a book that requires work on the part of the reader. Thus, its real value comes upon reflection, not while reading. That is because braided throughout the book are stories about members of Chang's family who lived in China, Taiwan, and America during the roughly last hundred years. Thus, the book is a rich stew about people who migrated, as well as those who did not. On the one hand, the inclusion of the family history enables the reader to view almost a century of social and cultural change. On the other hand, the family history, fascinating as it is, detracts the reader's attention away from today's factory women.

From this reviewer's perspective, the addition of Chang's family history is a plus. This is because the totality of stories underscores her thesis that (1) time, culture, and social conditions shape the migrant experience and (2) different times, cultures, and social conditions produce different migrant experiences, identities, and destinies. In addition, the family history also highlights a secondary thesis -- that some migrant experiences have happier endings than others, largely due to when and where they happen, and what family the migrant was born into. For example, Chang claims that privatization and liberalization in today's China, with all of its blemishes, has been a tremendous source of freedom, empowerment, and liberation for today's factory women. This is largely because marketization has fostered individualism and personal responsibility, in contrast to the collective mindset and political ideologies of her grandfather's and father's era, which ultimately produced fear and constraints.

In addition to furnishing a close-up view of social change, the book provides a timely and new approach to understanding today's factory women. By listening to factory women tell their life stories, one becomes exposed to an unfamiliar point of view. For example, most books about China's "floating population," as migrants are often called, or "the feminization of the global workforce," depict factory girls as defenseless victims of ruthless exploitation who work in unsafe and unhealthy conditions, at low pay, with little job security, while enduring discrimination from urban residents and authorities.

However, what jumps out is that this is not how the girls view themselves or as you, the reader, will view them after reading this book. What one learns is that today's factory women do not think of themselves as marginalized. Nor do they spend much time dwelling on their victimization and exploitation. Rather, they are ambitious and energetic, anxious not to fail. Failure to them means returning home empty handed. Thus, when mistreated by a manager, they speak up or walk out and find another job, not remain silent, join a protest march, or seek labor arbitration. The first time a factory woman pushes back, she begins to form a new identity and empowerment starts to take root.

The influence of the city and the factory on shaping the girls' identity grows. For example, according to Chang, job fluidity and mobility is easier for women than men. This is because today's factory women come into contact with a wider range of people, both inside and outside the factory, than do factory men. The exposure to a wide range of influences, including the relative opulence and the capitalist gestalt of today's China, inspires and drives today's factory women to achieve more of and for themselves. As a result, they carefully study how city people live and how their bosses climb the corporate ladder. They frequent job fairs and join social network groups. They sign up for classes that will give them the confidence, skills, and language to expand their opportunities. They change their hairstyles, attitudes, and the way they walk and talk. As they spend for their self improvement, they decrease the amount of money they send home, except in cases of emergency. They also curtail trips home.

According to the stories related in this book, today's factory women tend to accept the system. They do not seek to change it. For example, they do not complain about being women, express no feminist sentiments, and show no interest in politics or collective action. When they get together, they talk about themselves and men, not on how to improve the system for themselves or others. Overall, the women, even the most successful, do not seem to be a happy lot. No lasting or especially strong sense of community or sisterhood emerges in these stories, largely because everyone is forever repositioning themselves or adopting new identities in order not to be left behind in a rapidly changing, hypercompetitive, and wealthier China.

Chang's book, in unintended ways, provides a new view of identity formation. The women whose stories appear there are not the migrants of Chang's grandfather's era. Nor are they the factory girls who "came out" after of the first wave of economic reform. Today's factory girls leave the village out of boredom, for adventure and opportunity, not for reasons of poverty, as did the earlier migrants, or nation building, as did her grandparent's generation.

By identifying the workplace and the city, not the village or family, as the primary forge for stamping out identities, Chang contributes an alternative approach to thinking about today's factory women. She also provides readers with access to the minds and hearts of today's factory women, something which few books on Chinese migrant women do. Finally, Chang's book raises interesting questions for policy makers and donors. For example, if for health and environmental reasons, consumerism and materialism (in China) is unsustainable, then how can governments and/or donors use their influence to moderate the most pernicious types of consumption and materialism, not just among the "haves," but also by upwardly mobile people at the bottom of the pyramid, like today's factory women? For all these reasons, Chang's book is worthwhile reading, not just for those interested in China, but for everyone.

44) Social Policy in China: Development and Well-being, Chak Kwan Chan, King Lun Ngok and David Phillips. Bristol: The Policy Press, 2008

This book was reviewed by Günter Schucher of the GIGA Institute of Asian Studies, Hamburg and published in The China Journal, No. 61, January 2009.

China's economic achievements of the past three decades have been remarkable. To accelerate productivity, the Chinese leaders changed the economic base of China's socialist system from state-owned enterprises (SOE) and people's communes to modern business corporations and family-based farming. By introducing the Household Responsibility System in the countryside, restructuring SOEs and allowing private business activities, however, they also destroyed almost completely the institutional and financial bases of China's previous welfare system, which was provided through work units and communes and centered on principles of equality and all-round supply. To establish a new welfare system compatible with a market economy, the Chinese government had to implement numerous reforms.

This book explores these reforms in detail in the five key policy areas of social security (old age pension, Minimum Standard of Living Scheme and support for the poor), labor (active employment policy and unemployment insurance), health, education and housing. This wide-ranging concept of social security goes beyond financial assistance, but it does not discuss occupational injuries, although mining accidents especially have attracted much attention elsewhere.

The authors do not limit human beings to their existence as economic actors.

Each of the key areas is examined using a human well-being framework comprising eight dimensions: physical as well as psychological well-being, social integration, fulfillment of caring duties of parents towards children, human learning and development, self-determination and participation, equal value, and just polity. This framework, adapted from Chan and Bowpitt, uses human dignity to evaluate the performance of state welfare. It enables the authors to provide not only factual information on policies but also an in-depth understanding of the impact of welfare changes on the quality of life of the Chinese people.

The framework is explained in Part 1 of the book, which also contains short overviews of social policy in the context of economic reforms and the making of social policy in China. Part 2 consists of five chapters exploring the key policy areas. Each chapter starts with a brief review of the relevant welfare policy before the economic reforms, followed by an overview of policy changes in the reform era and an examination of the impact of reforms on human well-being. The third and final part of the book systematically summarizes achievements and weaknesses in each policy area, presenting the results in the form of texts and well-arranged tables.

The examination clearly reveals the abysmal gap between China's economic and social development. By basing its reform policies on decentralization and marketization, the Chinese government created a highly divisive and discriminatory welfare system, leaving many disadvantaged groups unprotected. With no national scheme and no national formula based on human needs, welfare duties were shifted to local governments without providing them with adequate financial resources. Public as well as private institutions were also forced to rely on (sometimes illegal) fees. Provision is now urban-biased and market-oriented. Thus, the new system is characterized by low levels of assistance with limited coverage, various dimensions of inequality and exclusion (urban–rural segregation, regional disparities, exclusion of rural migrants and the non-working population), a lack of comprehensive legislation, and a fragmented and localized welfare administration. The weakest part of China's welfare administration, however, is the gap between policy objectives and policy implementation. This gap and the government-centered approach might also hamper the realization of the incumbent leadership's new concept of a harmonious society.

The book is conceived as a textbook, and it is an easy-to-use introduction to Chinese social policy. Both the book as a whole and its individual chapters are clearly and conveniently structured. In addition to the sections mentioned, each chapter starts with a brief summary and ends with a comprehensive list of references, including primary Chinese language sources. Unfortunately, the original Chinese titles are not given, which makes it more difficult to follow them up.

The book's discussion of the achievements and weaknesses of social policy reveals that the Chinese leadership has never tried to adapt the old welfare system to new market conditions but has instead departed from its former needs-based principles, creating a highly exploitative and unequal society. Recently the government seems to have attempted to correct this by including the protection of disadvantaged groups in new laws and regulations. This development is also documented in the book, which includes material that is quite current. By focusing solely on China, however, the authors miss the opportunity to discuss the construction of a new Chinese welfare system in a wider context. Its future design will not only depend on decisions taken within China, but will be affected by internationally comparable trends and new concepts of social security in a globalizing world.

Nevertheless, this detailed and systematic book on the development of social policy in China and its implementation will serve as a reliable basis for any future discussion of well-being and social justice in Chinese society. It will be welcomed not only by academics and students of China but also by those who want to know more about China's social development.

45) Inequality and Growth in Modern China, Guang Huawan (editor), Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008

This review was taken from The China Quarterly, volume 198, June 2009 and submitted by Yaping Zhou.

Originally presented as conference papers supported by the World Institute for Development Economic Research of the United Nations University, the book is a collection of ten essays assessing China's inequality. This book focuses on the inequality that emerges from China's rapid economic growth and the factors that produce it. The book also shows the harmful effects of poverty and recommends poverty reduction. This book can be divided into three parts. The first part is a test of the inequality–growth nexus in China (chapter one) and the applicability of the Kuznets hypothesis to China (chapter two). From chapter four to chapter nine, this book analyses the various factors influencing inequality, including development strategies, financial system, inter-provincial gap, geographical factors, innovation capabilities and education opportunity. The third part is a discussion of poverty reduction (chapter three) and poverty accounting (chapter ten). The argument is that inequality is harmful to society in the short or long run, and growth alone does not diminish poverty. Thus, the government has to design efficient policies to prevent the deterioration of inequality and poverty.

There are two notable features in this book. First, the editor provides a theoretical framework based on the inter-relationships of a poverty–growth–inequality triangle (PGI): growth or improved distribution can reduce poverty, but inequality can be increased or decreased by growth; meanwhile, the level of poverty and growth depends on the current level and dynamics of inequality. The implication of PGI is that any poverty change can be accurately indicated by the mathematics function of change of growth and equality. The reciprocal relationship helps to solve the dilemma to prioritize growth or inequality in the design and execution of economic policies. Furthermore, this book illustrates that inequality in China is multi-dimensional, as evident in personal variations in income, regional variations in income, education inequality. Together they provide a wealth of knowledge of the diverse inequality in contemporary China. Previous studies have often focused on the measurement of inequality and discussed inequality, growth and poverty separately. The theoretical framework and comprehensive discussion in this book transcend the trivial and narrow discussion of inequality. Thus, this book demonstrates a deeper understanding of inequality and a more comprehensive profile of equality in China.

Despite the theoretical appeal of the book, some of the indicators used are not convincing. In chapter two, the author attempts to understand what factors influence income inequality. The author hypothesizes that there are four groups of factors: growth, income redistribution and social security systems, provision of public goods and infrastructure, and institutional arrangements. The growth is measured by economic growth rate, investment ratio, level of FDI, trade dependence, urbanization ratio, labor migration and registered urban unemployment rate. The income distribution and social security systems are measured by the net transfer payment amongst provinces through the fiscal system, the medical insurance system and the unemployment insurance system. The provision of public goods and infrastructure are tested according to the "average years of schooling, the density of highway and railroad network, and the telephone coverage rate" (p. 21). With regard to the institutional arrangements, the author points out that inappropriate government intervention may affect income inequality and he develops three variables to measure. The grey income index is one of the three variables. The author gives the definition of grey income: "grey incomes, not necessary illegal, refer to income that recipients are unwilling to disclose" (p. 21, footnote). Indeed, the author notices the role of grey income in influencing inequality, but he just notices the people who work in government have grey income. First, the author ignores that some special occupations can receive grey income, which influences inequality. For instance, doctors can receive "a red envelope with money" (hongbao) from patients, and tourist guides can receive a fee of acting as intermediary between buyer and seller (huikou). If the author overviews this proportion of grey income, it is difficult to know the real factor which influences inequality. Second, the definition of grey income is too broad and is hard to distinguish from black income. The author assumes that illegal earning is proportionally related to corruption. So we can see that the definition of grey income provided by the author includes corruption. It is more suitable to categorize corruption into black income which is different from the real grey income in some special occupations. In fact, only those who have power are likely to make big illegal income. So readers must be cautioned against the impact of institutional arrangements because it overlooks the proportion of real grey income.

Taken together, the book is a valuable read for scholars concerned with the relationship between economic growth and inequality. This book is timely because the rapid growth of inequality in China has caused domestic demand to diminish and poverty to expand.

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- China PROFILE -

26) Wu Fengshi, Assistant Professor, Department of Government and Public Administration, Chinese University of Hong Kong

This month, CPN speaks with Wu Fengshi, an assistant professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She has worked extensively in the environmental justice sector and served as an advisor to non-governmental organizations.

Q: Can you tell us a bit about your own work and research in China? What first sparked your interest in grassroots NGOs and civil society in China?

A: My research activities have led me to meet people from diverse fields of work (wonderful work), but my academic writing mainly has been on transnational advocacy in environmental protection and public health related to China.

Yet to be tested, the idea of civil society captured my passion of research at a very early stage of graduate school at the University of Maryland. It was through meetings with many environmentalists in Beijing during the summer of 2000 that nailed down my decision to pursue this area of study. I was persuaded by their genuine spirit and wide scope of community knowledge.

Q: You've been intimately involved with the environmental movement over the years. How have you seen this sector develop and/or change over the years?

A: I will just make some observations; these are not necessarily good or bad for the future, or considered by the environmentalists themselves good or bad, but just some interesting moments of change that have occurred over the years: - The community has truly grown in both size and geographic coverage over the past 15 years; - The new generation of leaders is younger, and more exposed to the global discourse. They might not have the same amount of public recognition the first generation of environmental veterans enjoyed, but they make up for this by their (very often transnational) communication skills in social mobilization; - Strategies of social mobilization, self-capacity building, interactions with the government, and community outreach have all been diversified; - More groups are able to conduct public campaigns, provide policy recommendations, or even petitions against particular policies or governmental projects.

Q: What are the challenges you see for its potential growth in the future?

A: Sustainability is always a challenge, in terms of funding, human resources, and local knowledge, though this is not particular to grassroots activism in China. However, in China, there is a challenge of carrying the spirit and philosophy of environmentalism (both in a universal sense and in the special context of Chinese environmental movement) by the new generations of activists and NGO leaders. In my research, I observe that, despite all the controversies and internal fractions, the environmental activist community exhibits the highest level of solidarity, shared normative principles, and collective consciousness compared with other fields of social activism in today's China. However, this unique aspect can quickly dissolve, if "traditions" are dismissed and "memories" are lost.

Q: Do you think we can learn something from the environmental movement, or do you think there is something fundamentally unique about it?

A: Many things can be learned from the environmental movement, including transnational networking, non-contentious resistance, and community mobilization. What is unique is that the issue of the environment does not suffer from partisan/sectoral conflicts of interests; rather, it is an issue that calls upon the awareness of all human beings, regardless of gender, age, race, ethnicity, nationality, healthiness, wealth… In short, it promotes something that is fundamentally "public," in terms of effects, and the process of change. This is, I believe, a vital advantage for the environmental movement, even though sometimes this "advantage" does not bring the sense of urgency, or the feeling of injustice right away.

Q: Especially now, and in China, the issues of environmental justice has been highlighted dramatically, in large part due to the Olympics this past summer. What do you think is needed to sustain this momentum, and where do you see the role of grassroots NGOs fitting into this larger picture?

A: It is a golden opportunity now for NGOs to enhance environmental public education, and reach a part of the public that they have not yet been able to reach, to tackle the stubborn practices, and to change habits and pre-determined opinions.

Q: To a large degree, international donors have supported the environmental movement quite strongly. What do you see as the role of grantmakers interested in getting involved in this sector; that is, what responsibilities do you think they have?

A: International support has, in an overall sense, been important to the growth of the grassroots environmental groups in China. In various ways, for example, funding, moral support, international recognition, and opportunity for learning and professional development have been critical. In particular cases, it has caused a local brain drain, unnecessary competition among grassroots groups, further complication of environmental politics, and other problems. It is the responsibility of the international donors to pay serious attention to local cultures, socio-economic situations, and the needs of local conservation experts. It is not always effective or useful to give excessively, and considerably wrong to risk long-term effects with short-term outcomes. International donors should be prepared (practically and emotionally) to give ownership of the project back to local people and their own experts.

Q: Do you see much of a domestic donor community investing in this movement? And do they have different responsibilities, different objectives, than international donors?

A: Donations and support from Chinese companies have increased visibly in the past few years. For some, not all, environmental NGOs, this type of support was crucial from the very beginning of their organizational development. Different from the donation from international companies, Chinese business owners can give generously, and without an agenda, although it usually depends on personal connections and the social networks of NGO leaders. The Corporate Social Responsibility concept is still new to most Chinese companies, and it is going to take some time for the private sector to discuss among themselves to come up with some kind of common practice and norms about their responsibilities.

Right now, they are mostly being "taught" and "trained" by international NGOs on what and how to give. Or, in other cases, they just give without asking. I think they have not, collectively at least, come to realize that they are responsible for the development of activism in their own communities. Even though researchers like me can outline some points here, it is essentially up to them, and should be done by them to figure out why they need to give money to local environmental groups.

Q: How do you see grantmakers contributing to environmental justice in China? What kinds of impacts do you think they are making, and what are some challenges for them in doing their work?

A: Grantmakers' contribution comes from their particular enthusiasm in the idea of environmental justice (including rule of law in the environmental field) and support to environmental lawyers and other related professionals. This has generated interest and discussion within the legal and judicial circles. However, the scope of this impact is limited. And thus comes the challenge: How to push for the incorporation of environmental justice into the mainstream thinking of legal and political reform in China.

Q: If you could offer some advice to grantmakers working in China, or interested in working in China, what would it be?

A: Look for the right people. Go to the field, meet with activists, conservationists, village "elders," middle school teachers, and learn about them. If that's impossible, try to find the right consultants to conduct this. Do not only depend on assumptions, newspaper articles, or other types of secondary sources. All of these can offer references, but the real situation can be surprising. There can exist both an activist-minded county-level official and a conservative Maoist village leader, and it is important to understand how to work with both. Do not be deceived by their outlook, or more precisely, our own prejudices. China is a diverse country, and the enormous geographic, ethnic, economic, and political differences can often make "models of best practices" invalid.

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Grantmakers Without Borders, a philanthropic network, is dedicated to increasing funding for international social justice and environmental sustainability and to improving the practice of international grantmaking. Our membership, currently numbering some 350 individuals from roughly 160 grantmaking entities, includes private foundations, grantmaking public charities, individual donors with a significant commitment to philanthropy, and philanthropic support organizations. Availing of this wealth of experience and expertise, Grantmakers Without Borders provides capacity-building support to international grantmakers both novice and experienced. We offer a space for education, community and collaboration among international social change grantmakers. We advocate before policymakers on behalf of social change grantmakers, and we work to leverage the philanthropic sector to increase funding to the global South. In all our efforts, Grantmakers Without Borders is committed to the ideals of justice, equity, peace, democracy, and respect for the environment. We value and respect the wisdom and experience of local communities in all their diversity, and we are dedicated to amplifying the voice of the global South in international philanthropy.

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