Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC)
member Wang Ming, who is also director of the Nongovernmental
Organizations Research Institute of Tsinghua
University, said on Thursday that China's NGOs can play a vital
role in soothing the country's growing conflicts and discontent and
in facilitating communications and understanding among people of
various social strata.
China's rapid development of the past 25 years has created a
widening gap between rich and poor, and between urban and rural
areas. These factors are likely to disrupt China's sustained social
and economic development.
There are some 3 million NGOs operating in China, but a lack of
recognition of their functions and abilities means that their
impact has as yet barely been felt, said Wang.
"China should better mobilize non-governmental forces in its
conflict resolution mechanism," said Wang. He believes that "varied
conflicts" will be the main deterrent to building a harmonious
society, the nation's overarching goal recently endorsed by the
central authorities.
According to CPPCC National Committee member Jing Tiankui,
director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' (CASS')
Sociology Research Institute, the NGOs will occupy a niche usually
beyond the reach of government and corporate bodies and can help to
eliminate chronic headaches such as unemployment.
(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2005)