首代說新法 | 亞洲基金會篇
2018-11-07 8323

首代說新法 | 亞洲基金會篇

《境外非政府組織境內活動管理法》實施已逾8個月,各地捷報頻傳。迄今,已有超過200家代表機構成功注冊。本期首代說新法采訪了亞洲基金會(TAF),與大家分享TAF在注冊過程中和成功注冊后的經驗和思考。

The Asia Foundation’s Story in China  亞洲基金會在中國

What is TAF’s story in China? When and why did TAF come to China? How does its mission in China relate to the general mission of TAF?

亞洲基金會與中國有何淵源?亞洲基金會何時來到中國?為什么來到中國?基金會在中國的使命與其整體的使命如何關聯?

 

1

The Asia Foundation is a nonprofit international development organization. Our work across the region addresses five overarching goals—strengthen governance, empower women, expand economic opportunity, increase environmental resilience, and promote regional cooperation.

亞洲基金會是一個非營利國際發(fā)展機構,我們在亞洲地區(qū)的工作主要有五個戰(zhàn)略目標:加強公共管理、婦女賦權、拓展經濟發(fā)展機遇、增強生態(tài)環(huán)境穩(wěn)定性和推動地區(qū)協作。

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After the establishment of China-US diplomatic relations in January 1979, The Asia Foundation consulted widely, trying to find a foothold for carrying out our projects in China. In September 1979, the State Scientific and Technological Commission (present name: the Ministry of Science and Technology) held the first conference about the impact of information technology on China’s future economic development. Entrusted by the State Scientific and Technological Commission, The Asia Foundation invited 9 international computer experts to attend the conference as foreign experts. After arriving in Beijing, with the recommendation from the State Scientific and Technological Commission, The Asia Foundation held both formal and informal talks. The Chinese side brought up project ideas that they hoped The Asia Foundation could support, including holding the second information technology conference the next year in the U.S. 

Shortly after that, in February 1980, Dr. Hayden Williams, the president of The Asia Foundation at that time, was invited by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Coopertation (present name: the Ministry of Commerce), and came to Beijing to discuss project cooperation in details. He had extensive and in-depth communication with the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Coopertation, University of International Business and Economics, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and China Foreign Affairs University. Our earliest projects include diplomat-training projects, book donation projects, etc., in response to China’s need for opportunities to study in the U.S., obtaining more English materials and learning advanced technology. In 1994, as the number of our projects in China increased, we set up a Beijing office and hired our first local employee. 

1979年1月中美建交后,亞洲基金會廣泛征詢意見,尋求在華開展項目的落腳點。1979年9月,中國國家科委(現科技部)主辦第一屆關于信息技術對中國未來經濟發(fā)展作用的大會,受中國國家科委委托,亞洲基金會邀請了9位國際計算機專家作為外方專家參會。來到北京后,亞洲基金會在中國國家科委的引薦下,進行了很多正式和非正式的會談。中方提出了希望得到亞洲基金會協助的項目,包括接下來一年在美國召開第二屆信息技術大會。

僅僅在幾個月后的1980年2月,當時的亞洲基金會會長Hayden Williams 博士受中國經貿部(現商務部)邀請,來北京洽談具體的項目合作。他跟中國經貿部,經貿大學,外交部,外交學院等進行了廣泛深入的溝通。回應當時中方對去美國學習考察,希望充實英文資料,了解世界先進技術的需求。我們最早開始的項目包括外交官培訓項目,贈書項目等。1994年,隨著在華項目的增加,基金會設立了北京辦公室并招募了第一個本地員工。

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Today, our work in China remains as relevant as ever with initiatives around regional cooperation and U.S.-China exchange, disaster management, charity sector development, child welfare and protection, women’s development and gender equality, and poverty alleviation and reduction. The Foundation also continues to support Chinese international development efforts that are sustainable, informed by international practices, and responsive to local needs.

目前,我們在中國的工作主要圍繞以下幾個方面:區(qū)域合作和中美交流、災害管理、公益慈善、兒童福利與未成年人保護、婦女發(fā)展與性別平等和扶貧減貧等。亞洲基金會也繼續(xù)支持中國可持續(xù)的、與國際接軌、同時也與本土實際需要相結合的國際性發(fā)展。

What are some of your proudest projects in China? What are some major milestones that TAF has achieved over the years in China?

亞洲基金會在中國最引以為豪的項目有哪些?在過去這些年中,亞洲基金會在中國取得了哪些里程碑式的成就?

1

The Asia Foundation has had many achievements during almost 40 years of work in China.  The followings are a few examples:

亞洲基金會在華近四十年有許多活動成果,以下僅舉幾個其中的例子:

推動中美關系發(fā)展和民間交流

Facilitate cooperative relations and non-governmental exchange between the United States and China:The Asia Foundation has worked with universities and research institutions to promote the development of bilateral relations through inter-organizational communications and seminars.

推動中美關系發(fā)展和民間交流:亞洲基金會與眾多高等院校和研究機構合作,通過組織交流和研討會,促進雙邊關系發(fā)展。

提供海外學習機會

Provide hundreds of scholarships, grants and other opportunities to study overseas, to help China enhance its management capacity in the fields of diplomacy and international economic relations.

提供數百筆獎學金、助學金和其他海外學習機會,幫助中國提升外交和國際經濟關系領域的管理能力。

助力中國慈善領域發(fā)展

Support the development of China’s charity sector: supporting the development of China’s charity sector is one of the key program fields of The Asia Foundation. With China’s national Charity Law coming into force, the Foundation will continue to support the research and training on supporting policies to promote the effective implementation of the Charity Law.

支持慈善領域發(fā)展是亞洲基金會的標志性項目領域之一。隨著《慈善法》的頒布,亞洲基金會繼續(xù)支持相關配套政策的研究和培訓活動,以助力這部法律的有效執(zhí)行。

幫助中國提升備災和災害管理能力

Help China enhance its capacity in disaster preparedness and disaster management: For over a decade, The Asia Foundation has teamed with Chinese partners to enhance China’s capacity in community-based disaster preparedness and natural disaster response.

過去十余年,亞洲基金會與中國的合作伙伴一起,致力于提升中國在社區(qū)備災和有效應對自然災害方面的能力。

加強針對兒童的家庭暴力的應對機制

Enhance the response mechanisms to domestic violence against children: Together with our Chinese partners, we promote multi-sector collaborations on child welfare and protection, and provide suggestions and recommendations for the development of China’s child protection system.

我們和中國合作伙伴一起,推動多部門聯動的兒童福利和保護力量,為中國兒童保護制度的發(fā)展建言獻策。

支持流動女性減貧脫貧

Support poverty alleviation or reduction of migrant women: during thepast 20 years, our projects have assisted more than one million migrant women,who came from more than 20 provinces across the country, to improve theireconomic conditions, obtain social services and integrate into the localcommunities.

在過去的二十年間,我們的項目協助來自全國20多個省份的100多萬流動女性改善經濟機會、獲取社會服務和融入當地社區(qū)。

圖書捐贈

Book donation: Our “Books for Asia” project has donated around 4 million quality English books to more than 700 higher education institutions in China.

我們的“亞洲贈書”項目至今已向全國700多所高等教育院校捐贈了近400萬冊高質量的英文書籍。

支持“中國走出去”戰(zhàn)略

Support China’s global engagement: We work with Chinese universities,think tanks, businesses, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and governmentagencies on programs that advance the capacity of Chinese NGOs to respond todevelopment challenges in Asia. The Asia Foundation also considers promotinginternational development collaborations as one of its future work priorities.

我們與大學、智庫、企業(yè)、非政府組織和政府機構開展合作,幫助中國社會組織應對亞洲發(fā)展面臨的挑戰(zhàn)。亞洲基金會也將推動國際發(fā)展合作視為今后的工作重點之一。

Pre-ONGO Law 

《境外法》出臺前

What was The Asia Foundation's legal status before the ONGO Law? Did The Asia Foundation endure any extra scrutiny because of its legal status before?

在《境外法》頒布之前,亞洲基金會在中國的法律地位是什么樣的? 

1

Before the promulgation of the ONGO law, The Asia Foundation did not have a legal entity in China. Although there was no formal registration status, we maintained close ties with the Chinese government departments. From 1979 when we first came to China, to 1994 when we set up an office in China, and then throughout these years of carrying out our projects in China, we regularly communicated with relevant departments to report on the work of our projects and the overall operation of our office.

在《境外法》出臺之前,亞洲基金會在中國并沒有一個法律實體,但我們與中國政府部門保持緊密的聯系。從1979年來到中國,到1994年在中國設立辦公室,到之后多年在中國開展項目,我們都定期與有關部門進行溝通,匯報我們在國內的項目工作和整體運行情況。

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Compliance to the relevant regulations has always been a significant goal of our work. Especially after the promulgation of the “Regulation on the Administration of Foundations”, we had communication with the relevant departments, and some departments actively helped us to coordinate, trying to find a supervisory department. But none of these efforts came into fruition.

我們始終將合規(guī)運營作為重要工作目標,尤其是在《基金會管理條例》出臺后,我們和有關部門進行過多次溝通,也有些部門積極地幫我們去協調,試圖找到一個主管部門,但是都沒有成功。

3

Because we were not able to officially register, we encountered some difficulties in our work. There were many problems that need to be coordinated with a great deal of time and energy, such as the cooperation with Chinese partners and obtaining visas for our foreign staff. So the promulgation of the law is indeed a good thing for us. It is the first law that China has to define and regulate overseas NGOs like us that carry out activities in China, so it has become a channel that gives us clear guidance on our registration. From this perspective, this law has tremendous significance. It marks the beginning of a new era for the communication and cooperation between overseas NGOs and China. 

由于未能正式注冊,我們在實際工作中遇到一些困難,有很多問題需要花費很長的時間和很大的精力進行協調,比如與中方合作機構的合作、辦公室外籍員工的簽證等具體問題。所以《境外法》的出臺,對于我們來說是具有積極意義的好事。這是中國第一部完整定義和規(guī)范類似我們這樣的境外非政府組織在中國境內開展活動的專門法律,為我們提供了一個非常明確的法律框架,使我們的正式注冊有了明確的指引。從這點來說,這部法律是具有劃時代意義的,它開啟了一個境外非政府組織與中國開展交流合作的新時代。

How closely did you follow the development of the ONGO Law? Have you ever submitted legislative opinions or suggestions to the relevant authorities on the law?

你們是否曾緊密關注中國《境外法》的發(fā)展?你們是否曾就該法向有關部門提交過立法意見或建議? 

1

We watched closely the development of the ONGO Law. We were very pleased when we saw that the draft of the law was released on the website of the National People's Congress to collect public opinions, because we believe that it would have a positive impact on the perfection of the law if there could be more inputs and views from stakeholders and the public. We valued the opportunity to submit our opinions. We communicated several times with the headquarters, and then we submitted feedback in the name of The Asia Foundation.

我們一直緊密地關注著《境外法》的發(fā)展。看到法律草案在全國人大的網站上公開征求意見,我們感到非常高興,因為我們相信,更多地收集利益相關方和公眾的意見,對法律的最終完善是具有積極意義的。我們非常重視法律草案公開征求意見的機會,跟總部進行了多次溝通,然后以亞洲基金會的名義提交了反饋意見。

Registration Process 注冊過程

How did you start preparing for your registration? How did you establish contact with relevant departments??

你們是如何開始準備登記的?是如何和有關部門建立聯系的?

1

Right after the implementation of the law starting on January 1, 2017, we started our registration process. Our headquarters was very supportive for our registration work. Our president came to China and met with the relevant departments to discuss the registration, introducing in detail the efforts and contribution that The Asia Foundation has made for China’s development for all these years.

《境外法》2017年1月1日正式實施后,我們立即啟動了注冊工作。我們總部非常支持我們的注冊工作,會長到中國就注冊事宜與相關部門進行了會面,詳細介紹了亞洲基金會在中國的工作和多年來對中國發(fā)展所做出的努力和貢獻。

2

At the same time, we strengthened our communication with the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, who was in charge of the registration. In our whole registration process, they provided clear direction and guidance regarding our registration application. Their attitudes were conscientious and patient and they responded our staff’s specific questions in a timely manner. At the certification ceremony, we gave them a silk banner that wrote: "warm and efficient, open and pragmatic". I think these four words are a good summary of the work attitude of the ONGO Management Office at the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, based on our experience in the registration process. If there were not their open and pragmatic spirit, or their enthusiastic and efficient work, we wouldn’t have come to where we are today. After the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) was included in the list of Professional Supervisory Units (PSUs) for ONGOs, we proactively communicated with the CPAFFC. Our work scope has a lot of overlap with that of the CPAFFC. We are very pleased to have CPAFFC as our PSU.

與此同時,我們加強與作為登記管理機關的北京市公安局的溝通。北京市公安局具體負責登記管理事宜,在整個注冊過程中,他們對我們的注冊工作提出了明確的要求和指導,而且非常認真和耐心,我們的負責人員能夠及時得到具體的答案。在頒證儀式上,我們送給他們的錦旗上寫了“熱情高效,開放務實”八個字。我覺得這八個字很好地體現了我們在注冊過程中體會到的北京市局境外辦的工作態(tài)度。如果沒有他們開放務實的精神和熱情高效的工作,我們應該走不到今天這一步。中國人民對外友好協會被納入境外NGO的業(yè)務主管單位名錄后,我們與友協進行了積極的接觸。在業(yè)務領域方面,我們與友協有很多的重合,對于友協能夠成為我們的業(yè)務主管單位,我們非常高興。

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Throughout the preparation process, I think that efficient and honest communication, with both the PSU and the public security departments, is very important. In addition to the fact that the colleagues in our Beijing office who were responsible for the registration and I myself maintained communication with the relevant departments, we also mobilized The Asia Foundation Board, former trustees, and the headquarters’ leadership, by using their trips to China to set up relevant meetings. Every time before we met with the relevant departments, we made a lot of preparation, including compiling materials such as brochures and CDs that demonstrate our achievements and contributions in China throughout so many years.

在整個準備過程中,我認為無論是和業(yè)務主管單位,還是和公安部門,高效坦誠的溝通都是非常重要的。除了我本人和我們辦公室負責具體注冊事宜的同事保持與相關部門的溝通外,我們還調動了亞洲基金會理事會、前任理事、總部領導層等各方面的力量,利用他們來華訪問的時機安排相應的會面。每一次與相關部門會面,我們都會做好充分的準備,包括提交一些有代表性的項目成果,比如小冊子、CD等,以便更形象地展示我們多年來在中國的成績和貢獻。

How did you find your Professional Supervisory Unit (PSU)? 

你們是如何找到現在的業(yè)務主管單位的?

1

Because of the broadness of our work field, finding a suitable PSU was the greatest challenge that we faced during the registrationm process. We watched closely on the list of PSUs. When we knew that CPAFFC was included on that list, we proactively started to make contact with CPAFFC, introducing them about our foundation, the foundation’s past and future work, the match between our work field and that of the CPAFFC’s, and our communication with the registration authority. Finally, after thorough consideration, CPAFFC agreed to become our PSU. 

因為我們工作領域的寬泛性,如何找到一個合適的業(yè)務主管單位是我們在注冊工作中面臨的最大一個問題,因此我們一直在關注公安部門公布的《業(yè)務主管單位名錄》,在我們得知全國友協被納入主管單位名錄后,我們積極與友協取得聯系,向友協介紹了我們的基金會、我們以往和今后將要開展的工作、我們的工作與友協的契合度以及我們與登記管理機關的溝通情況。最終,友協在充分考慮各方面情況后,同意擔任我們的業(yè)務主管單位。

How did you communicate with your headquarters overseas and within your field office? 

你們是如何與海外的總部,以及中國辦公室內部的同事溝通的?

1

Our relationship with the headquarters is very balanced. I report regularly to the headquarters, and maintain close and frequent communication with them. And the headquarters has enough trust in us and gives us enough power and flexibility in our work. Since all of our work priorities are in Asia, the focus of our headquarters’ work is to support our local offices in Asia. For The Asia Foundation, in our thirty years of work in China, from the beginning when there was no ONGO Law to now that the ONGO has been implemented, the headquarters and the Chinese office are both committed to securing our registration in China. So from the leaders at the headquarters, to the colleagues at the headquarters who provided assistance, and then to our Beijing office, we were all working towards China office registration. 

我們與總部的關系處于一個非常好的平衡點。我會定期給總部匯報,保持密切頻繁的溝通,而總部對我們有足夠的信任,并給予我們的工作充分的授權和靈活性。由于我們所有的工作重點都在亞洲,總部的工作重心就是要支持我們在亞洲的辦公室。對于亞洲基金會來講,我們在中國工作的三十多年里,從一開始沒有法律出臺到現在法律出臺,總部的領導層和中國辦公室都有一個貫穿始終的思想,那就是我們一定要注冊。所以從總部的領導層,到總部提供協助的同事,再到我們北京辦公室,都是非常支持配合這次注冊的。

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Professor David Lampton, Chairman of the Board of The Asia Foundation, is an internationally renowned expert in the study of China. Our board has also set up a temporary group with members who are associated with China and have in-depth knowledge about China. They discussed the registration progress of the Chinese office during each board meeting, and provided advice and support. 

 

亞洲基金會的理事長大衛(wèi)蘭普頓教授,是國際知名的中國問題專家,我們理事會還成立了一個臨時性的中國小組,成員包括與中國有淵源和對中國有深入了解的理事。他們在每次理事會期間會對中國辦公室的注冊情況進行討論,并提供建議和支持。

3

The work inside our office in China is also very transparent. We are a very cohesive team. Whether it is the communication between project officers and the finance or logistics team, or the communication between the project teams, we all do it very well. From the time before the promulgation of the ONGO Law, to the actual registration process, I have ensured that our staff knew what action we were taking for the registration, what kind of cooperation that we needed from everyone, etc. Our staff have been working in The Asia Foundation for many years. We are very attached to this organization, and we are all working together in the same direction.

 我們中國辦公室內部的工作也是非常透明的。我們是一個非常有凝聚力的團隊。無論是項目官員和財務、后勤的溝通,還是項目團隊之間的溝通,我們都做得非常好。從法律出臺前到具體辦理注冊的過程中,我都確保讓員工知曉我們針對注冊問題在采取哪些行動、需要得到大家什么樣的配合。我們的員工都在亞洲基金會工作了很多年,我們對這個機構非常有感情,大家都朝著一個方向共同努力。

Looking Forward 展望未來

What role would CPAFFC play in your future work? What kind of help do you expect your PSU to provide for your work in the future? How is the communication with your PSU going? 

設立代表機構以后,友協在你們今后的工作中具體扮演什么角色?在未來開展活動過程中,你們希望他們在哪些方面給予你們指導和幫助?目前你們與業(yè)務主管部門的溝通進展如何?

1

We had contact with CPAFFC, including communication and collaboration on some of our US-China exchange programs. After the registration, the CPAFFC will guide and supervise our work in China as our PSU. We hope that we can establish regular communication mechanisms with the PSU and the public security departments.

 

我們前和友協曾經有過工作上的聯系,在中美交流的一些項目上,我們有過溝通和協作。登記注冊后,友協作為我們的業(yè)務主管單位,將對我們在華業(yè)務進行指導和監(jiān)管。我們希望能和業(yè)務主管單位以及公安部門建立定期的溝通機制。

What hopes do you have for the future in terms of ONGO Law implementation? Do you have any suggestions for the ONGO Law implementing authorities? What issue areas do you expect the relevant departments to provide detailed and clear guidance on? 

對未來《境外非政府組織管理法》的實施,你有什么期待?對于實施這一法律的政府部門,你有什么建議?你們希望有關部門今后能夠在哪些領域能夠提供更細致、清晰的指導?

1

We hope that more ONGOs can find suitable PSUs and successfully register their representative offices in China. After we successfully registered our Beijing representative office, we immediately started other compliance procedures, in accordance with the requirements of the registration authority and the PSU. It now appears that to figure out what kinds of accounting rules and what tax rules are applicable to the representative offices of ONGOs are the two most outstanding issues to solve. We are actively communicating with the relevant departments and experts, hoping to provide some useful suggestions for the development of the corresponding supporting measures. We also hope that there will be clarifications on some of the issues that are not yet clear in the law, such as tax, financial regulations, etc.

我們希望能有更多的境外非政府組織能找到合適的業(yè)務主管部門,并成功注冊在華代表機構。我們在北京代表處成功注冊后,馬上按照登記管理機關和業(yè)務主管單位的要求,開始了相應的合規(guī)手續(xù)的辦理。目前看來,境外非政府組織代表機構適用哪種會計規(guī)則和適用的稅務問題是最主要的兩個懸而未決的問題。我們在積極地與有關部門和專家溝通,希望能對配套措施的制定提供一些有益的建議。在實施細則里將一些法律本身沒有明確的問題進一步明確,例如稅務、財務規(guī)則等。

What did you learn during this registration process? What are some suggestions and tips you will have for the ONGO community? How do you think The Asia Foundation’s experience can benefit other ONGOs? 

 

在亞洲基金會在中國的注冊過程中,你收獲到了什么? 你對其他的境外非政府組織有什么建議或提示嗎?你認為亞洲基金會的經驗會給其他的境外非政府組織帶來怎樣的益處?

1

I think that in the process of registration, a positive attitude is very important. Within our foundation, from the board to the headquarters, and then to the Beijing office, we wanted to register from the very beginning, and we took the initiative to understand and communicate. Only when we make proactive communication, can the PSU and registration authority know about us, and provide guidance and advice on our registration.  This is a suggestion for the organizations that have not been registered: only the honest communication can help the PSU and registration authority to fully understand you and trust you, so that you can better promote the registration and the projects afterwards. 

我認為在注冊的過程中,積極的態(tài)度很重要。在我們基金會內部,從理事會到總部再到北京辦公室,我們從一開始就想要注冊,并積極主動地去進行了解和溝通。只有我們的積極溝通,業(yè)務主管單位和登記管理機關才會了解我們,并愿意就具體的注冊事宜為我們提供指導和建議。這個建議非常適合那些還沒有登記注冊的組織,一定要通過開誠布公的交流讓業(yè)務主管單位和登記管理機關充分了解和產生信任,這樣才能更好地推動注冊及之后的項目活動。

2

From the perspective of The Asia Foundation, our consistent value is that, at the places where we work, our role is to serve and assist. We are guests, so we need the local government's welcome. And the premise of such welcome is that what we do indeed meet the local needs. The grasp of the local needs comes from our long-term local presence, and our communication and cooperation with local partners. The most important thing in this process is our respect for the local communities.

從亞洲基金會的角度來講,我們一直以來的價值觀就是:我們在當地的工作是起到服務和協助的作用。我們是客人,我們去做客需要當地政府的歡迎,而歡迎我們的前提是我們所做的事情是符合當地需要的。對當地需要的把握是通過我們長期植根在當地,跟當地的合作伙伴保持溝通合作來獲得的。這個過程中最主要的是我們對當地的尊重。