The recently passed law governing Foreign Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in China has rankled those in the United States and China who support and promote deeper engagement between our governments and our peoples. While the law, which will go into effect on January 1, 2017, was modified somewhat after a yearlong comment period, big questions remain about the underlying intentions behind the law in principle, and how it will be implemented in practice.
Of course, the devil is in the details. Implementing regulations are presumably being drafted as we speak, but there is a lack of transparency around what they might say -- and even who is drafting them. The "who," of course, would reveal much of the "what." As the Chinese government moves forward, it must do so with a keen appreciation of the invaluable role that NGOs play.
As an American NGO whose entire mission revolves around deepening US-China ties, particularly through education, and which aspires to officially operate in China in the near future, the US-China Strong Foundation could serve as an important test case for the law. Endorsed at the highest levels of the US and Chinese governments, US-China Strong is leading a movement to ensure that our next generation of leaders has the cultural understanding and skill set to effectively manage the US-China relationship -- the most important and consequential in the world.
Regardless of whether Washington and Beijing are collaborators or competitors on any given issue, regardless of whether our interests align or diverge, we must understand each other. The growing challenges of the 21st century, from climate change to cyber security to sea-lanes of control, make this mandate even more urgent.
Organizations like US-China Strong and likeminded counterparts, such as the Ford Foundation, the Gates Foundation and the Paulson Institute, to name a few, are doing yeoman's work to enhance the bilateral relationship and, in the process, improve the lives of tens of millions of Chinese citizens through their work on sustainability, public health, education and more. Partners such as AmCham China and the US-China Business Council are helping grow economic ties that benefit both nations through increased trade and job creation. Think tanks like Carnegie-Tsinghua and the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution contribute to critical bilateral dialogue on the most pressing issues of our day. And the dozens of American universities that run programs in China are helping knit together the fabric of future US-China ties by connecting and educating our young people.
American and other foreign NGOs are having a major, positive impact on Chinese society -- one that cannot be understated. China's leaders should value these contributions and ensure the new law does not undermine the critical work they do.