Foreign NGOs to be hit by new Chinese laws giving stricter oversight

There are increasing fears that China's controversial new law for regulating foreign non-governmental organisations, which gives Beijing greater oversight and financial scrutiny of these organisations, may result in driving out many groups operating in mainland China; the US, Canada and the European Union are urging China's Government to revise previous drafts of the NGO law, which gave more latitude to the police to regulate the activities and funding of overseas groups operating in China. Presently, there are at least 1,000 foreign NGOs thought to be operating in China, including development charities, such as Save the Children, Greenpeace and university centres; these new laws will make it much more difficult for these environmental and human-rights agencies to work in China, thereby threatening vital advocacy work.

BEIJING — China is moving closer this week to a new law that would strictly control thousands of foreign nongovernmental organizations in the country, state-run news agencies reported on Monday.

Officials are expected to give rapid approval to what may be the final draft of the law, the reports said.

Foreign governments and nongovernmental organizations denounced two earlier drafts, saying their wording implied that the Chinese government viewed such groups as potential criminal organizations. Critics said the proposed restrictions would lead to groups’ curtailing important work in China, such as legal assistance and programs promoting the rule of law.

The White House issued a statement in September saying there were concerns that the law would “further narrow space for civil society in China.” American officials urged the Chinese government to drop or make drastic revisions to the legislation, as well as to other sweeping draft security laws that would limit or hobble foreign operations in China, including businesses.