The Rise of Modern Private Philanthropic Foundations in China

• In Event: 392 - Section on Asia and Asian America Roundtable Session (one-hour).
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 10. The Third Sector in China

Abstract

From a regulatory perspective, philanthropy in China has been officially modernized. Since the government established a legal framework in 2004 based on models from overseas, the number of private foundations in China has grown six-fold. This paper presents results of a nationally representative survey of 1,096 private foundations conducted in 2012. We present a landscape view of these new philanthropic institutions, discussing both who begins foundations and how their monies are used. We conclude with some considerations of the implications of this new form of philanthropy for the development of civil society in China.

Authors

• Anthony J. Spires, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

• Weijun Lai, Sun Yat-Sen University

• Lin Tao, Peking University

• Jiangang Zhu, Sun Yat-Sen University