China's charities have seen progress in organization, service, public awareness, government support and international cooperation since the opening-up policy was adopted, a leading charity official said Sunday.

Fan Baojun, president of China Charity Federation (CCF) said in Beijing at the opening of the Business and Civil Society Forum that in recent years, charity organizations had boomed and formed nationwide networks.

Membership of the CCF had increased to 137 since it was first established in 1994, and CCF members covered almost all provinces, regions and large and medium-sized cities, some even stretching to county-level areas and residential communities.

In the meantime, he said, fields of charity service were enlarged and charitable organizations had played an irreplaceable and supplementary role in solving social problems. In 1998 when much of China suffered from serious flooding, charities collected billions of yuan in donations from home and abroad.

Fan said public awareness of charities was growing and the government's support in law and policies was stronger. In 1997, China for the first time regulated donor companies and enterprises enjoyed tax breaks, which were written into law in 1999.

The government was developing charities as part of the social security system during the 10th Five-Year Plan period (2001-2005),which fundamentally positioned charities in the national economy and social development.

In September, the government further regulated tax breaks for donors. "This policy will greatly help charitable causes," Fan said.

He said Chinese charity organizations had rich experience of cooperation with foreign organizations and companies in administration, fund management, and legal support. The "Smile Train" project, jointly launched in 1999 by CCF and the US-based CA company, has offered free operations to 48,900 cleft lip sufferers from 30 provinces and regions, with a total investment of 123 million yuan (US$14.8 million).

(Xinhua News Agency November 10, 2003)