On December 7, Mr. Qiu Zhonghui, board chair of the Amity Foundation, delivered a keynote speech entitled "Leveraging Philanthropy's Role in Flexible Governance."
At the Fifth National Symposium on Philanthropy Theory and Policy held in Beijing, Qiu said, "Community flexible governance is a model that highlights collaboration between the government and other public entities. Taking people’s well-being as the core principle, it advocates the adoption of non-mandatory approaches, like emotions, morality, values, and customs, to guide the values and behaviors of community residents. The goal is to inspire residents' inherent enthusiasm and innovation, with the ultimate aim of establishing a social governance community.”
He explained that philanthropy serves as a bridge to achieve flexible governance and foster a synergistic relationship between a "strong government and a broader society." Charitable organizations play a key role in providing community services and support, promoting harmony and stability within the community, encouraging innovation in community governance, enhancing community participation and integration, and facilitating outreach and communication. He also shared examples of the Amity Foundation’s flexible practices in addressing the challenges of an aging society, as well as alleviating family conflicts and social pressures through initiatives such as the Rengu Nursing Home, community elderly care service sites, various elderly service projects, Amity Home of Blessings, Amity Bakery, and more.
The conference theme, "Promoting Good and Fostering Public Welfare Through the Law," featured two main sessions and four parallel forums. Over 200 representatives from universities, research institutions, charitable organizations, civil affairs systems, and community groups attended the event.
In his welcome speech, Mr. Zheng Gongcheng, a member of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee and president of the China Association of Social Security, noted that 2024 marks a significant milestone in the development of China's charity law. The newly revised Charity Law has been formally implemented, addressing insufficiency in legal regulations related to emergency charity, charitable trusts, and public fundraising. Additionally, the law emphasizes the development of community charity and includes personal online help-seeking into the legal norms for charity. These advancements have strengthened and refined China's charity system, he added.
