Ministry of Civil Affairs Circular Regarding Who May Serve As a Sponsor Organization (Chinese and English Text)

The following is a translation prepared by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China of the "Ministry of Civil Affairs Circular Regarding Who May Serve As a Sponsor Organization," issued by the Ministry of Civil Affairs in February 2000. The Chinese text was retrieved from the Ministry of Civil Affairs Web site on May 11, 2006.
Ministry of Civil Affairs Circular Regarding Who May Serve as a Sponsor Organization Document #41 (February, 2000) To the government of each province, autonomous region, directly administered municipality, all central government organs, ministries, and commissions, the political department of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), and people’s organizations: In order to carry out the spirit of the “Circular of the General Offices of the Communist Party Central Committee and State Council On Strengthening the Management Of Civil Society Organizations,” (1999, #34) and further clarify the responsibilities of registration and management authorities for social organizations and sponsor organizations, establish and perfect the dual management system, and allow for even more positive actions by social organizations, with the approval of the leading comrades of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and the State Council, the following issues pertaining to the question of sponsor organizations for social groups are again affirmed: 1. Duties of sponsor organizations. The functions of the sponsor organization should match the scope of activity of the social organization, and further be able to guide the organization. Sponsor organizations should be responsible for their social organizations and reasonably carry out their obligations in accordance with Central Party Committee and State Council documents and laws and relevant regulations. Sponsor organizations should set up corresponding bodies, comprised of comrades of good moral and political quality, to be involved in the management of social organizations. Sponsor organizations must be responsible for the social organizations they supervise, and must not wash their hands of their responsibilities prior to a change in sponsor organization. Management obligations of sponsor organizations: 1) Bear responsibility for reviewing social organization’s applications for establishment, alteration of registration, and cancellation of registration. 2) Bear responsibility for the political work, financial and personnel affairs, deliberative activities, and foreign contacts and funding of social organizations. 3) Supervise and guide social organizations to abide by all relevant laws and regulations. 4) Bear responsibility for the preliminary social organization annual review. 5) Assist registration and management bureaus with any investigation into illegal activities by that group. 6) Guide the cleanup of social organization assets, with relevant bureaus. 2. The sponsor organization of social organizations refers to: 1) The ministries and commissions of the State Council and subordinate organizations, the general office of the State Council, and the corresponding departments and organs of local governments at the county level and higher. 2) The working departments of the Central Committee, and corresponding departments and work units of party committees at the county level and higher. 3) The general offices of the National People’s Congress and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, and corresponding departments to the above offices at the county level and higher. 4) Organizations empowered to sponsor a social organization by the Central Committee, State Council, or party committees at the county level or higher. 5) The question of sponsor organizations in the military is left to the discretion of the political department of the PLA. 3. Organizations empowered by the Central Committee, the State Council, or party committees at the county level or higher to sponsor social organizations should fulfill the following conditions: 1) Have the ability to completely carry out the organizational responsibilities of a sponsor organization. 2) Be an organization on the central or local personnel roster with “fixed responsibilities, fixed organization, and fixed personnel.” 3) Have designated staff and organizations engaged in supervising social organizations. 4) Have prior authorization from the Central Committee, State Council, county-level or higher party committees, or local governments to serve as a sponsor organization. Organizations meeting the above criteria may serve as sponsor organizations. 4. Listed below are organizations empowered as sponsor organizations on a nation-wide basis: Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Development Research Center of State Council, Chinese Earthquake Administration, Chinese Meteorological Administration, China Securities Regulatory Commission, China Insurance Regulatory Commission, The Central Party School, Central Historical Document Research Institute, Central Party History Research Institute, Central Compilation and Translation Bureau, Foreign Culture Administration, All-China Federation of Trade Unions, Communist Youth League, All-China Women’s Federation, China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Chinese Writers Association, China Association for Science and Technology, All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, All-China Association of Media Workers, The Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, China Disabled Persons’ Federation, Chinese Workers Ideological and Political Work Research Association. Local party committees at the county level and higher and all levels of people’s governments may consult the above suggestions, and in accordance with the local situation, empower organizations that meet the first three criteria to serve as sponsor organizations.

民政部关于重新确认社会团体业务主管单位的通知 民发(2000)41号 2000年2月 各省、自治区、直辖市人民政府，中央和国家机关各部委，军委总政治部，各人民团体： 为了贯彻执行《中共中央办公厅、国务院办公厅关于进一步加强民间组织管理工作的通知》（中办发〔１９９９〕３４号）精神，进一步明确社会团体登记管理机关与业务主管单位的管理职责，建立和完善社会团体双重管理体制，使社会团体更好地发挥积极作用，经中共中央、国务院领导同志同意，现就重新确认社会团体业务主管单位的有关问题通知如下： 一、社会团体业务主管单位的管理职责 社会团体业务主管单位的职能应能涵盖所属社会团体的业务范围，并能够对主管的社会团体进行业务指导。各业务主管单位必须对其所主管社会团体负责，按照中共中央、国务院文件和有关法规的规定切实履行管理职责。各业务主管单位应建立相应的管理机构，选派政治强、作风正、素质好的同志具体从事社团管理工作。业务主管单位对其所主管社会团体在其业务主管单位未做新的调整之前，必须负责到底，决不能撒手不管。 社会团体业务主管单位的管理职责： （一）负责社会团体筹备申请、成立登记、变更登记、注销登记前的审查； （二）负责社会团体的思想政治工作、党的建设、财务和人事管理、研讨活动、对外交往、接受境外捐赠资助； （三）监督、指导社会团体遵守宪法、法律、法规和国家政策，依据其章程开展活动； （四）负责社会团体年度检查的初审； （五）负责协助登记管理机关和其他有关部门查处社会团体的违法行为； （六）会同有关机关指导社会团体的清算事宜。 二、社会团体的业务主管单位是指： （一）国务院组成部委、国务院直属机构、国务院办事机构及地方县级以上人民政府的相应部门和机构； （二）中共中央各工作部门、代管单位及地方县级以上党委的相应部门和单位； （三）全国人大常委会办公厅、全国政协办公厅、最高人民法院、最高人民检察院及地方县级以上上述机关的相应部门； （四）经中共中央、国务院或地方县级以上党委、人民政府授权作为社会团体业务主管单位的组织。 （五）军队系统的社会团体的业务主管单位的问题由总政治部明确。 三、经中共中央、国务院或地方县级以上党委、人民政府授权作为社会团体业务主管单位的组织，应具备以下条件： （一）能够全面履行社会团体业务主管单位职责的组织； （二）中央或地方机构编制管理机关“定职能、定机构、定编制”的组织； （三）有具体机构和人员从事社会团体管理工作的组织； （四）经中共中央、国务院或地方县级以上党委、人民政府履行过授权程序的组织。 同时具备以上条件的组织，方可作为社会团体的业务主管单位。 四、授权下列组织为全国性社会团体的业务主管单位： 中国社会科学院、国务院发展研究中心、中国地震局、中国气象局、中国证券监督管理委员会、中国保险监督管理委员会、中央党校、中央文献研究室、中央党史研究室、中央编译局、外文局、中华全国总工会、中国共产主义青年团、中华全国妇女联合会、中国文学艺术界联合会、中国作家协会、中国科学技术协会、中华全国归国华侨联合会、中华全国新闻工作者协会、中国人民对外友好协会、中国残疾人联合会、中国职工思想政治工作研究会。 地方县级以上党委、各级人民政府可参照以上意见，根据当地实际情况，对符合第三项前三款条件的组织予以授权。