“The Unique Role and Function of NGO’s in Forest Preservation in

China”

Christopher Nelson 倪偉文 June 3, 2008 National Sun-Yat Sen

University Institute of Mainland

China Studies

Introduction

Two issues come to mind when discussing China’s NGO’s:

Western views of NGO’s differ from Chinese views of NGO’s

 Relationship between state and 3rd sector in China shows several patterns

Definition UN says “A non-governmental organization (NGO) is

a not-for-profit, voluntary citizens’ group, which is organized on a local, national or international level to address issues in support of the public good”

Differences

Society in many countries is divided into three sectors:

1. Business/Private

2. Government/State

3. Non-Profit/NGO

Yet, in China the nonprofit sector does not have the same level, influence or ranking that it does in other countries

Differences In many counties NGO’s have a lot of autonomy

and freedom

In China NGO’s must:

1. have ties to the government

2. be sponsored by a government agency

Differences China reluctantly allows INGO’s and local NGO’s

only because of international pressure and globalization, differs from other countries

Though China’s NGO’s may have some attributes and features of NGO’s in other countries, it is their function and role as well as their relations with the government [and the business sector] that is much different

Differences In China many NGO’s operate as an extension of

government or as part of the government sector and not as an independent third sector that exists in other countries

Differences However, China’s NGO’s do:

1. provide information, education, and support,

2. act as “watchdogs” for the environment, and also can

3. can help mobilize support and resistance to programs or projects that go against laws or what government wants or the image they want to project

INGO’s in China China may even use its influence in the UN

to block or even “punish” INGO’s that it does not like or that does things that China does not like

Through the UN, China successfully lobbied to remove Liberty International’s “consultative status” with the UN for one year

Forest Conservation One example of how NGO’s operate in

China [and how the relations between the government and NGO’s works] can be seen in terms of forest protection, conservation, and preservation

Effects of Decentralization After 1981, due to decentralization, forest

protection was delegated to local governments However, the priority of local governments was to

spur development. Thus, in order to accommodate rapid growth, local governments didn’t always enforce environmental laws or prosecute those who broke the law, especially if in doing so it would hinder economic growth

1998 flooding caused by deforestation In 1998, a natural disaster, great flooding along the

Yangtze River, caused by the destruction of forests, forced the central government to change policies concerning forests

New ENGO’s and INGO’s [such as Greenpeace] now work together within the guidelines set up by the national government to protect Chinas’ forests

Now, forest conservation is a priority, reforestation is underway, and NGO’s have even helped the government stop companies from illegal logging and damage to forests

Local/Central Conflict Local governments still try to get around

environmental laws handed down from Beijing Thus conflict between local governments and

interests, on the one hand, and the central government, often in partnership with INGO’s and Chinese ENGO’s, undermines the authority of the national government and prevents reforms from taking hold

Forest Protection History of Forest Protection 1958 – “Big Leap Forward” in timber

production 1979 – First forestry law was passed 1984 – This law officially goes into effect “Decentralization allowed for the Ministry

of Forestry to focus better on administration as well as the formulation of policy”

Forest Protection However, forests were left to the local

governments to handle At times, many TVE’s and local projects, in

the spirit of economic growth and development, ignored environmental laws, which caused great damage to China’s forests

Deforestation and Flooding Natural Disaster in 1998 shifts paradigms

concerning China’s forests There was also shift in focus from pure

market development to environmental protection by the central government in terms of forests and wooded areas as a result of this disaster, caused, in part, by the destruction of forests along the Yangtze

Asia Pulp and Paper Illegal logging by the Asia Pulp and Paper

Company Greenpeace identifies the problem, and makes it

public Chinese NGO's, working with Greenpeace, help

organize boycotts and other protest activities against Asia Pulp and Paper

Asia Pulp and Paper Company is currently being investigated by Chinese government

Asia Pulp and Paper What is even more revealing is the fact that local

governments in China challenge the authority of the central government

The Asia Pulp and Paper Company originally went into Yunnan 雲南 as part of a partnership with local government to develop tree development, with implications of accommodation in return for economic development

Illegal Logging in Henan In another case, in Henan province 河南省

the local village government authorized villagers to clear 80 meters of timber in a state owned forest. The Village Committee and the Village Director actually raised this amount to over 177 cubic meters

The villagers soon cleared over 258 cubic meters of timber

Conclusion 1. China reluctantly allows NGO’s to exist in China

because of international pressure and globalization 2. Chinese NGO’s that promote China’s image,

provide social welfare, or help protect the environment are tolerated, provided that the NGO does not come into conflict with the government and its policies

3. Groups that promote democracy or human rights are discouraged in China, and as a result China tightly controls NGO’s

Conclusion 4. While many Chinese NGO’s resemble NGO’s in

Western nations, the fact remains that Chinese NGO’s are unique; they must operate within guidelines and parameters set up by the Chinese government and they must not overstep their bounds. Thus a Chinese serves only the “public good” that the government says it can serve

5. In terms of INGO’s China is very careful

Conclusion

The consequences of China’s rapid economic development have resulted in great damage to China’s environment, as well as natural disasters, like the great floods along the Yangtze River in 1998, caused primarily by deforestation

While China is at least trying to do something about the

environment, as evidenced by the development of, and cooperation with, ENGO’s in China and INGO’s like Greenpeace, China needs to do more to promote NGO’s

Conclusion Local governments are less discerning They will, at times, as seen by the incident

in Henan province 河南省 , challenge the authority of the government, by defying environmental laws, for instance, in the interest of local economic development

Conclusion This conflict, between the local

governments, which could, as is at least implied in the case of Asia Pulp and Paper, also include MNC’s, on the one hand, and the central government, working with INGO’s and NGO’s, not only shows the differences in the way NGO’s operate, but more importantly, the limits and problems of authority in China