[UPDATE] An Exchange Between Shawn Shieh & Meg Davis on Chinese NGOs

In June 2010, we posted this
blog post
on how China’s new nonprofit regulations – including new,
stricter regulations on INGOs in China’s Yunnan Province — were affecting
grassroots groups. The essay was reposted to Chinapol (aka C-Pol), an email
list of professionals working on Chinese policy issues. The following
discussion between Asia Catalyst ED, Sara L.M. Davis (also known by her
nickname, Meg) and Shawn Shieh
of Marist College is reprinted here with consent from both.

Shawn Shieh writes:

Meg,

Thanks for writing this up.  I’m actually in the middle of translating the
Yunnan regs, so if anyone has the translation already and would be willing to
share, I’d be most grateful.

I had one question and a comment.  In your discussion of the Yunnan regs
on foreign NGOs, you note that foreign NGOs will have to apply for approval
with the provincial Civil Affairs and then go on to say that this will make
them [government-organized NGOs, or] GONGOs.  I didn’t understand the
connection.  How does applying for approval translate into becoming a
GONGO?

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