The Foreign Service Journal, May 2005

ry, U.S. civic organizations have steadily expanded their China connections. Many educational ties have been established between American and Chinese colleges and universities, including Christian colleges and sem- inaries, and between professional schools, whether in business, law or medicine. Sister-city and state-provin- cial exchanges have included leaders of civic organiza- tions as well as businesses. Major actors include the Asia and Ford Found- ations, whose Beijing offices now have annual budgets over $4 million and $9 million, respectively. In addi- tion to their 1980s-era work to support educational and professional development, and to help revive the social sciences in China, both foundations are now branching out to support projects in law and governance and to influence (directly and indirectly) government regula- tory projects. The Asia Foundation sponsors monthly forums and a networking Web site run by the China NPO Network (http://www.npo.com.cn/eindex.htm), su pports migrant and worker rights awareness, and has begun sup- port for grass-roots NPOs in the poor interior of the country. Many international humanitarian NGOs got their start providing relief to areas in China struck by earthquakes and other disasters in the late 1990s. The Salvation Army and World Vision International, along with U.K.-based Oxfam, are the largest international NGOs involved in disaster relief and anti-poverty work. Responding to the government’s encouragement of international participa- tion in anti-poverty and development work in western China, which is home to most of the country’s poor eth- nic minorities, these groups have expanded support for micro-loan projects and holistic community development projects. There are also international faith-based organizations active in China, some of which renewed earlier mission- era ties to China and work in the poor interior and at the grass-roots level. The ecumenical United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia focuses on enhancing education for women and ethnic minorities in more iso- lated tertiary institutions. Service groups affiliated with church-based or denominational organizations, including the Mennonites and the Maryknoll Brothers, tend to work in partnership with official faith-based counter- parts, whereas independent “parachurch” agencies find partners in the functional sector responsible for specific projects. For example, thousands of teachers of English or professional skills have been sent by organizations working jointly with the Foreign Experts Bureau and state educational organs. U.S. Policy Implications The complex changes under way at the grass-roots level in China, especially in the roles of indigenous and international nonprofit organizations, merit closer attention in Washington as China enters a period of authoritarian populism and “money politics.” It is in our interest to see a healthy society evolve in China. The alternative is growing potential for bilateral fric- tion over religious and other human rights or, worse, massive instability in China affecting the whole region. U.S. policy should expand beyond the short-term need to counter Chinese human rights abuses, to proac- tively support long-term social and cultural progress. Contrary to popular American expectations, improve- ments in human rights will not come overnight from the top down, but will develop gradually through grass-roots cultural change and social activism as Chinese citizens begin to defend their own interests, individually and col- lectively. Future Chinese governments at all levels need ideas and assistance from the outside to deal creatively with problems attending social and cultural pluralization, for which they have only a weak tradition and no experi- ence. Toward this end, the U.S. government should contin- ue its unilateral initiatives to promote democracy, human rights and rule-of-law programming in China, which pro- vides some of the funding for independent U.S. NGOs working in China. The investment has nearly quadru- pled in just four years, from approximately $5 million in 2002 to $19 million in 2005. Yet here, too, more explic- it attention to exporting civil society is warranted. Meanwhile, the bilateral agenda could begin discus- sions of social policy challenges under the impact of globalization. The bilateral rule-of-law initiative could encompass laws affecting religious practices, while labor-management initiatives fit well with discussions of WTO implementation. Above all, we must revise expectations. The direct role of the U.S. or other governments, or international organizations, in promoting social and cultural change in China is limited. Development aid to China is decreasing as its GDP grows, but the need for model- ing and training increases even as funding needs F O C U S 44 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / M A Y 2 0 0 5