Philanthropic individuals and enterprises donate life necessities such as oil and rice to families with autistic children. The Public Welfare Work Committee of the Anhui Provincial Voluntary Association united other organizations to conduct a charity activity for autistic children at a mutual help center in Hefei City.

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The report to the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China states that China will step up institution building in social governance. The aim is to strengthen public participation and rule of law while making social governance smarter and more specialized.

In the process of improving social governance, social organizations play a significant role in transforming the functions of government and modernizing China’s social governance. One of most discussed topics among scholars  is how to improve the role of social organizations as a bridge between the government and society.

Social organizations, with their flexible models and comprehensive services, can consolidate all kinds of social resources, satisfying a variety of public demands. The participation of social organizations in social governance in the “new era” is essential, said Liang Ying, a professor from the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Nanjing University.

The harmonious co-existence of governments and social organizations is meant to provide more comprehensive and practical safeguards for the real needs of the ordinary people while exploring the flexibility and adaptability of social organizations, Liang said. Grassroots social organizations also provide a softer way of understanding and serving the public, she said.

Zhu Dongliang, a professor from the School of Public Affairs at Xiamen University, said that the participation of social organizations will increase public participation in social governance. Through various mass and intermediary organizations, the public can convey their wishes and appeals to government departments, Zhu said. Taking part in various industrial training sessions will increase the supply of service goods and broaden the channels for employment, reducing transaction costs and increasing the efficiency of market in allocating resources, he said.  

Bai Youtao, a professor from the School of Social Development at Nanjing Normal University, summarized the problems of social organization development in six aspects: insufficient social trust and resources, low levels of specialization, and insufficient professionals, as well as insufficient channels for participation and means for monitoring and promotion.

Liang said there was a gap between the degree to which social organizations participate in social governance and the needs of China’s social development. In terms of external factors, Liang said the development of social organizations in China primarily depends on the support of the government, which also strengthens their role in administrative regulation. Internally, social organizations in China are also at the initial stage of development. The lack of mechanisms for internal regulation and operation also hinders them from assuming social responsibility, she said.

In the face of practical issues, strengthening the role of social organizations in providing services is important for the healthy and sustainable development of a society. Zhu said that China should step up efforts to foster social organizations by following the principle of co-building. The incubation institutions should be guided to establish bases for development of social organizations, Zhu said. Cultivation mechanism for social organization—combining industrial sectors, schools and research facilities—should be established through partnerships between universities and social organizations, he said. Meanwhile, oversight of social organizations, particularly those that accept public donations, should be strengthened, he added.