China prepares for Communist Party celebrations with crackdown on ‘illegal’ NGOs
- Civil affairs ministry tells public to be alert for unregistered social groups trying to raise funds in the run-up to the party’s centenary later this year
- Government accuses some organisations of illegal fundraising and says they are jeopardising social stability and ‘sullying the party’s image’
China has announced a nationwide crackdown on “illegal social organisations” in the run-up to the Communist Party’s centenary celebrations in July.
On Monday, the Ministry of Civil Affairs, which supervises groups such as non-governmental organisations, said the latest crackdown focused on bodies that had not registered with the authorities and those that continued their activities after being banned from operating.
The ministry’s website said it had banned at least 77 illegal social organisations this year for “fraudulent” activities.
It warned that some of these bodies had disguised themselves as health research organisations, national studies societies or religious groups and were trying to use the party centenary to raise funds.
“[We] must keep a clear mind about the fact that there are still breeding grounds for illegal social organisations and illegal social organisations have remained active,” a notice from the ministry said.
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“They have disturbed the orderly management of the registration of social organisations, polluted the development environment, eroded the properties and assets of the relevant institutions and people, jeopardised social stability and economic development and sullied the image of the Communist Party and the government,” it said.