On August 27, the 5th Cross-strait and Hong Kong & Macau Regions Philanthropy Forum was held in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia. The forum attracted over 300 representatives from charity organizations, entrepreneurs, experts and scholars from Cross-strait and Hong Kong & Macau Regions. Representatives presented at the meeting shared philanthropy experience on “Charity China”, “Charity Relay and Inheritance” and “NGO and Ecological Protection” and talked about future development together. 

　　The forum released China Charity Innovation Report – Analysis of Charity Innovation in both sides of Taiwan Strait and Hong Kong and Macau Regions, which for the first time systematically summarized and presented the development history and practical cases of charity innovation in Cross-strait and Hong Kong & Macau Regions in the form of report. 

Gather again in the name of philanthropy

　　Cross-strait and Hong Kong & Macau Regions Philanthropy Forum started in 2013 and was jointly launched by charity organizations from Cross-strait and Hong Kong & Macau Regions. According to related recording of data, the forum has been held for four sessions in Shenzhen, Taipei, Hong Kong and Macao since its inception and has effectively promoted the exchange and cooperation in philanthropy and enhanced the mutual trust among each other. 

　　This forum was co-sponsored by China Charity Alliance, Taiwan NPO Self-Regulation Alliance, Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation, Loving Family Foundation, Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Hong Kong and Macao Foundation and supported by Lao Niu Foundation.

Group photo at the scene of the forum

　　“Nothing, not even mountains and oceans, can separate people with shared goals and vision.” For the same philanthropic goals, over 300 guests from Cross-strait and Hong Kong & Macau Regions (around half of them were from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) gathered together again and conducted exchanges around “Charity China”, “Charity Relay and Inheritance” and “NGO and Ecological Protection” with the theme “New Philanthropy in China and New Actions for Philanthropy”.

Meng Zhiqiang, Deputy Director of Social Welfare and Charity Promotion Department of Ministry of Civil Affairs

　　Meng Zhiqiang, Deputy Director of Social Welfare and Charity Promotion Department of Ministry of Civil Affairs, attended the opening ceremony and made a speech. He emphasized: “Cross-strait and Hong Kong & Macau Regions Philanthropy Forum is an important communication platform for philanthropy and the communication bridge for enhancing friendship among compatriots, as well as an important platform to wield the global influence of Chinese people.” He said he was expecting the forum to make more exploration and exchange in the following three aspects and wield wider and more enduring influence. The first is to focus more on targeted poverty alleviation and give play to the positive function of philanthropy. The second is to strengthen philanthropic innovation and cope with new challenges with join forces. The third is to strengthen philanthropic exchange and cooperation and promote the transformation of the achievement of the forum.

Liu Fuqing, Deputy President and Secretary-General of China Charity Alliance

　　“Through the forum, we hope we can reach more consensuses in terms of the theoretical research, resource integration, organization governance and project cooperation of philanthropy, form continuous intercommunication and benign interaction, and then promote the overall development of philanthropy in Cross-strait and Hong Kong & Macau Regions.” Liu Fuqing, Deputy President and Secretary-General of China Charity Alliance, said.

Lei Yongsheng, Director General of Lao Niu Foundation

　　Lei Yongsheng, Director General of Lao Niu Foundation, said: “We support and sponsor this activity in the hope of doing our bit for the exchange and cooperation of philanthropy in Cross-strait and Hong Kong & Macau Regions and joining hands with everyone to promote the development of philanthropy in China. Inner Mongolia is a strategic area for the ecological shelter zone in China and remote area with minorities. I hope everyone can walk into Inner Mongolia, learn about Inner Mongolia, conduct cooperation in Inner Mongolia, and help Inner Mongolia with environmental protection and poverty alleviation programs.”

Gong Weichun, Deputy Director of the Department of Civil Affairs of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region

Chen Zhimin, member of the 13th CPPCC, Deputy Director of Committee for Social and Legal Affairs, Director General of China Association for Friendship, and former Vice-minister of the Ministry of Public Security

Zhang Yanzhen, former Vice-minister of the Ministry of Justice and Director General of China Legal Aid Foundation

Li Xiaojie, former member of CPPCC, former Vice-minister of the Ministry of Culture, former Director of National Cultural Heritage Administration, and Director General of China Foundation for Cultural Heritage Conservation

Tao Siliang, consultant to China Association of Mayors and Founding President of Beijing AiEr Foundation

Zheng Xinzhen, Director General of Taiwan NPO Self-Regulation Alliance

Yan Bowen, Executive President of Taiwan Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation

Yu Zongze, Chairman of Loving Family Foundation

Nie Lin, Postdoctoral Researcher of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Hong Kong

Li Zhenqiang, member of the Administrative Committee of Macao Foundation 

　　Furthermore, Gong Weichun, Deputy Director of the Department of Civil Affairs of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Chen Zhimin, member of the 13th CPPCC, Deputy Director of Committee for Social and Legal Affairs, Director General of China Association for Friendship, and former Vice-minister of the Ministry of Public Security, Zhang Yanzhen, former Vice-minister of the Ministry of Justice and Director General of China Legal Aid Foundation, Li Xiaojie, former member of CPPCC, former Vice-minister of the Ministry of Culture, former Director of National Cultural Heritage Administration, and Director General of China Foundation for Cultural Heritage Conservation, Tao Siliang, consultant to China Association of Mayors and Founding President of Beijing AiEr Foundation, Zheng Xinzhen, Director General of Taiwan NPO Self-Regulation Alliance, Yan Bowen, Executive President of Taiwan Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation, Yu Zongze, Chairman of Loving Family Foundation, Nie Lin, Postdoctoral Researcher of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Hong Kong, and Li Zhenqiang, member of the Administrative Committee of Macao Foundation, also attended the forum and delivered a speech.

Discuss New Philanthropy in China together

　　Cross-strait and Hong Kong & Macau Regions have the same root in both bloodline and culture. The philanthropy in these regions has interlinked national tradition, historical memory, cultural accumulation and value pursuit. 

　　Based on this, the philanthropic philosophy is deeply rooted in the heart of the Chinese.Based on this consensus, the forum set up keynote speech session on the theme “Charity China” for guests from philanthropic world, business circle and academic circle to conduct deep communication and discussion on philanthropic philosophy and practical experience.

　　Yang Lan, Vice-chairman of China Charity Alliance and Director General of Sun Culture Foundation, shared the practical program for children’s art education “Enlightenment of Love” by Sun Future Art Education Foundation. The core content of the program is art education course for children, targeting primary school students aged between 6 and 12. It focuses on the connection between the teaching content and children’s life experience and guiding children to actively participate in positive emotional experience. 

　　Zhang Liang, Executive Director of Charity and Community Affairs of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, introduced various charity projects continuously supported by Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and focused on promoting the successful experience in four major fields, i.e. youth, the elder, sports and art, and culture and child welfare. The trust also encourage social welfare institutions to improve capacity and achieve innovation through promoting multi-party cooperation via interdisciplinary and cross-sector platform, so as to benefit more citizens and contribute to the long-term and sustainable growth of the society.

　　Luo Xiangzhu, Deputy Director General of MengTak Charity Association from Macao, introduced the characteristics of philanthropy in Macao with the theme “Chinese Philanthropic Culture and Macao”. He said that Macao was the platform for the integration of eastern and western cultures and both Chinese traditional philanthropic culture and western religious philanthropic culture were fully demonstrated in Macao; the government of Macao had long-term and close communication and cooperation with the public in terms of philanthropy and social service. Besides, the extensive participation of citizens is also one of the major characteristics of the philanthropic culture in Macao.

　　Wei Tixiang, Founder of juridical association Andrew Charity Association from Taiwan, introduced Andrew Food Bank Program. In the primary stage of development, Andrew Food Bank cooperated with primary schools in various regions and introduced the activity “Donation of One Day’s Happiness”, in which children donate one day’s happiness to help children of the same age in remote areas. Currently, the program is helping over 5000 children below 15 years old in each month.

　　Lu Dezhi, Director General of Huamin Charity Foundation, introduced the civilization of sharing, an important topic he has been thinking in recent years. He proposed that the civilization of sharing is a modern form of civilization jointly created, recognized and owned by mankind, as well as the aggregation of new civilizations of international order, system design, cultural education and living habit for promoting globalized production and living needs. He believed that the core content of the spirit of capital is to “make money at full split, save money at full split and spend money for sacred cause at full split”. The philanthropy in the 21st century should be a brand new form of philanthropy targeting global development, adopting sharing as the highest value and integrating eastern and western cultural spirits.

　　Kang Xiaoguang, President of China institute for Philanthropy and Social Innovation and Professor of the School of Administration and Policy, Renmin University of China, proposed the concept of “Super Philanthropy”. He believed that, at this moment, philanthropy is in a new era in which pre-modern philanthropy (individual, family, village community and religious organization), modern philanthropy (professional charity organization) and post-modern philanthropy (small group, virtual organization, network-based organization) are all developing side by side and the coexistence of these three modes of philanthropy demonstrates the situation of overlapped development and superimposed innovation.

Pan Zhiming, Secretary General of Caritas Macau

Zhu Huangjie, Administrative Officer of VIA Foundation

Philanthropic innovation demonstrates good situation

　　The forum also released China Charity Innovation Report – Analysis of Charity Innovation in both sides of Taiwan Strait and Hong Kong and Macau Regions (hereinafter referred to as the Report), which for the first time demonstrates the philanthropic philosophies, practical cases and development trend of philanthropy in Cross-strait and Hong Kong & Macau Regions.

　　According to the Report, there are many similarities in the philanthropic innovation in Cross-strait and Hong Kong & Macau Regions. First of all, they all pay more attention to the cooperation among government, enterprise and charity organization; secondly, they all make extensive use of the internet and new technologies; thirdly, the enterprises are actively fulfilling social responsibilities and social enterprises are making a figure; fourthly, philanthropic services all have the characteristics of individualization, differentiation and diversification; fifthly, the internal governance and industry self-regulation mechanisms of charity organizations are gradually improving.

　　The Report also makes a prediction for the trend of philanthropic innovations in Cross-strait and Hong Kong & Macau Regions. First of all, charity organizations will apply more professional means to raise fund and provide service; secondly, the methods of philanthropic innovation will also be more diversified and comprehensive; thirdly, there will be closer cross-border cooperation and the cooperation among different subjects will stimulate more and more new modes of philanthropy; lastly, government departments will also continue to support philanthropic innovation and related policies will be further improved and play important roles. 

There are newcomers to inherit the cause

　　The philanthropy in Cross-strait and Hong Kong & Macau Regions is in rapid development and both inheritance and innovation can’t do without the development of talents. Liu Fuqing emphasized: “We must cultivate the feelings for philanthropy among the younger generation, propose and guide the young entrepreneurs, young leaders of charity organizations and young volunteers in Cross-strait and Hong Kong & Macau Regions to communicate and exchange more through the forum, ask them to promote understanding and eliminate misunderstanding, and strengthen the centripetal force and cohesive force of the Chinese nation.”

Lou Shenghua, Professor of the School of Public Administration, Macao Polytechnic Institute

Mai Xingqiao, Senior Account of Regional Management and External Affairs of LKK Health Products Group Limited

Zhang Junting, Vice-president and Executive Director of Rockcheck Group and Director of Rockcheck Puji Foundation

Liang Qixian, Lecturer from the School of Public Administration, Macao Polytechnic Institute

Cai Gaihuang, Chairman of the Charitable Trust Committee of China Charity Alliance

Wu Zining, Deputy Director General and Secretary General of Macao Youth Federation 

　　In “Family Philanthropy and Inheritance” session of the forum, Zhang Junting, Vice-president and Executive Director of Rockcheck Group and Director of Rockcheck Puji Foundation, Wu Zining, Deputy Director General and Secretary General of Macao Youth Federation, Niu Ben, Founder and Director General of Laoniu Brothers & Sisters Foundation, and Liang Zaizhong, Director, Senior Vice-president & Secretary of Youth League Committee of Sany Group and Director General of Beijing Sany Foundation, also expressed their opinions on the inheritance and innovation of philanthropy.

Round table discussion

Feng Yan, Professor of the Department of Social Work, Taiwan University

Tu Meng, Deputy Director General & Secretary General of TransFar Foundation

Teng Hongnian, Director General of Ting Hsin Foundation

Gao Bile, President of Macao Youth Charity Association

Niu Ben, Founder and Director General of Laoniu Brothers & Sisters Foundation

Liang Zaizhong, Director, Senior Vice-president & Secretary of Youth League Committee of Sany Group and Director General of Beijing Sany Foundation

Fang Tao, Deputy President and Secretary General of Shenzhen Charity Federation

Chen Yu, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Social Work & Social Administration, the University of Hong Kong

Dou Ruigang, Executive Secretary General of Tencent Foundation

　　They said, when inheriting the philanthropic spirit of the elder generation, the young generation is also pursuing more internationalized perspective, paying attention to the application of new technologies and new tools, and cultivating professional management and talents, hoping to create more valuable modes of philanthropy through resource integration. In their opinion, the society is always developing, so it is with philanthropy. In the face of new problems and challenges, “there are always more solutions than problems”.

Liu Jing, Deputy President and Secretary General of China Association of Social Workers and Director of Philanthropy Times, makes the closing remarks

　　This forum lasted for three days, during which sub-forums on NGO and ecological protection were also held. The forum also organized field visit to outstanding local programs in the fields of environmental protection and children, so as to help supply each other’s needs and learn and progress together. 

　　Philanthropy is an important symbol for human civilization and the important heritage of the Chinese national spirit. We should gather the philanthropic strength of Chinese people, support the development of philanthropic sector, and serve the public. Cross-strait and Hong Kong & Macau Regions Philanthropy Forum welcomes more Chinese people caring for philanthropy to join us and promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation together!