Supervision of charities must be strengthened

Fangcheng district government officials launch the running activity organized to help impoverished students attend university education. [Photo/Agencies]

Wang Jie, who started a civil website supposedly aimed at assisting children from impoverished families in Baise, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, was recently detained by the local police for molesting several girls that received help via his website. Comments:

This incident should again remind us of the necessity to strictly supervise and regulate charities. They should not escape official monitoring. Also, a standardized operating model should be established for civil charity organizations to avoid over-concentration of power in the hands of a few, or allowing just one or two persons to be in charge of the entire collection and distribution of donations. What Wang has done has not only stained the name of charity, but also hurt people's compassion, which must be seriously punished according to the law.

Xi'an Evening News, August 28

Organizations and individuals wanting to do charity work should first establish their credibility. Since it is impractical to count on their self-discipline, a comprehensive legal framework should be established as soon as possible. It is also urgent to establish a government-led supervision system and professional charity model in accordance with China's national conditions. Only by ensuring transparency can it be guaranteed that charities do good work.

163.com, Aug 28

It is worth questioning why a so-called and unauthorized charity website could raise donations with a personal account yet escape being officially questioned for years, even when its operator was reported to the local watchdogs by netizens. Wang's crimes need to be further investigated. Given the heavy blow his activities will have dealt charities, it is necessary to identify and close loopholes in the charity supervision system and ascertain where the accountability lies.

Beijing News, Aug 28