Ministry responds to queries about overseas organizations

China's law enforcement officials responded on Tuesday to questions about how overseas NGOs will operate in China once a new law takes effect in January.

At a briefing held by the Ministry of Public Security and Shanghai Public Security Bureau in Shanghai, the ministry said there will be no "transitional period" for overseas NGOs.

Overseas NGOs in China are expected to prepare for the new regime and authorities are working on ways to assist them, the ministry said.

The representative offices of overseas NGOs can organize activities within registered regions, it said.

Citing articles 10 and 13 of the law, the ministry said that overseas NGOs can establish one or more representative offices in China, and should disclose and register the areas where they will operate.

The registered regions of two or more representative offices affiliated to the same overseas NGO should not overlap, it said.

According to the ministry, a catalog of fields and activities in which overseas NGOs are allowed to operate in China, as well as a list of authorities in charge of their operation, is being drafted.

This will clarify the agencies responsible for the management of overseas NGOs' activities in various fields, including the economy, education and disaster relief, it said.

The ministry is pondering more details on supervising overseas NGO activities.

Officials from consulates of 11 countries in Shanghai attended the briefing.

(China Daily 11/10/2016 page5)