Global Market Leaders: A Charities & Nonprofits Overview

A Decade of Change and the Road Ahead: The PRC Philanthropy and Non-Profit Landscape

Overview

Historically, China has a profound tradition of philanthropy, with helping those in need and being kind-hearted have long been an important part of its society and culture. However, the development of a modern legal system regulating charity is a relatively recent phenomenon. In 2016, the PRC Charity Law was officially enacted (modified in 2023), establishing a systematic legal framework for domestic non-profit organisations (“Domestic NPOs”) with foundations, social groups and social service institutions as the core. In 2017, the Law on the Administration of Activities of Overseas Non-Governmental Organisations in the Mainland of China was introduced mainly to strengthen national security, further establishing a standardised management system for overseas non-governmental organisations (ONGOs).

These two parallel legal systems have gradually improved over the past decade, becoming solid legal pillars nurturing and monitoring the non-profit sector in China. At the pivotal point of 2026, marked by opportunities and turbulence, it is worthwhile to look back at the developments and changes in China’s non-profit sector over the past decade and to envisage its prospects for the next decade.

I. The macro landscape: data and trends from China’s non-profit sector

Domestic NPOs

China has a significant number of NPOs in operation. If calculated by the number of registrations, by end of 2025, China had 865,000 legally registered Domestic NPOs. The number of Domestic NPOs in China has surpassed the combined total in Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia, ranking first in the Western Pacific region. However, globally, the scale of China’s non-profit organisations remains far smaller than that of the United States and Europe, with the number being about 60% of that in the USA, indicating room for further growth in organisational density and social participation.

In 2025, the total number of Domestic NPOs saw a slight decline. According to public information and practical observations, the exits were mainly concentrated among organisations with unstable funding sources, with a long-term lack of substantive projects, or that had consistently failed to fulfil annual disclosure obligations. This change reflects, to some extent, that the sector is transitioning from a stage of quantitative expansion to one of structural optimisation, with some organisations with lower governance capabilities and operational efficiency gradually withdrawing.

ONGOs

Regarding ONGOs, although the regulatory environment has become more institutionalised and stringent – a common perception – ONGOs continue to view China as an important destination despite the trust that underpinned globalisation having broken down in recent years. Since China allowed ONGOs to register representative offices (ROs) in 2017, the number of ROs in China has experienced a surge and has since maintained steady growth, with an average annual growth rate exceeding 7% after 2018.

II. The evolving role of non-profit organisations in China

Over the past decade, the functional positioning of non-profit organisations in China has undergone a structural transformation. In the early stage, their primary role was more that of one-way aid providers, focusing on resource input and service supply.

In recent years, a significant trend is that non-profit organisations are shifting from being “one-way aid providers” to “resource integrators” or “collaborative platforms”.

• On the one hand, an increasing number of Domestic NPOs are exploring paths of “going global” by participating in international projects, cross-border co-operation and global issue governance.
• On the other hand, ONGO’s role in China has also undergone significant changes. Its functions are no longer limited to conducting aid activities for China but have been embedded into a broader public welfare network by leveraging China’s advantages in industry, technology and organisational capabilities.

This shift was particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the pandemic response, multiple non-profit organisations played a key role in co-ordinating China’s manufacturing capabilities and connecting global medical supply and vaccine demands. Compared to traditional donation models, such work often involves more complex supply chain management, compliance arrangements, and cross-border collaboration, placing higher demands on legal compliance and project management capabilities, and marking a significant upgrade in the operational models of non-profit organisations.

III. External dynamics: geopolitics and the changing operating environment for non-profits

In recent years, changes in the geopolitical environment have increasingly become an important external variable influencing the operational models of non-profit organisations. Especially against the backdrop of the continuous complexity of foreign relations, non-profit organisations are undergoing a structural adjustment in their regional layouts, resource allocation, and project operation methods.

A notable trend is that some ONGOs are shifting certain regional functions or operational arrangements to relatively neutral jurisdictions such as Singapore and the European Union. But this adjustment does not mean their withdrawal from China. Most institutions retain their presence and project bases in China while enhancing operational and compliance flexibility through multi-point strategies.

During this process, the functions of non-profit organisations have also evolved. Cross-border co-ordination and resource integration have become an important growth point for capabilities, meaning higher requirements for compliance management, cross-border collaboration, and risk mitigation, among other things.

IV. The next frontier: AI and data flows in the non-profit sector

In recent years, the application of artificial intelligence and big data technologies in China’s non-profit sector has become a noteworthy new trend. Compared to traditional project models, reliant on manual efforts, technological means – including AI – potentially offer new possibilities for the sustainability of philanthropic projects. From a data protection angle, projects in areas such as energy, public health, and environmental protection often involve sensitive data and are more likely to fall within the scope of stricter data security and compliance supervision.

V. A new driver: the global philanthropic power of affluent Chinese families

In recent years, the impact of China’s affluent families (especially the rise of the “next-gen group”) in the non-profit sector has become increasingly evident. Their role is no longer confined to funding but extends to project participation, governance structure, and long-term strategic planning. Their focus has expanded to tackle global issues such as climate change, educational development and biodiversity. Accordingly, their philanthropic activities are no longer limited to domestic donations but are extending to global development and international collaborations.

Conclusion: looking ahead to the next decade

China’s non-profit sector will continue to evolve through institutional improvements, technological applications and international collaboration. Against the backdrop of increasing global uncertainty, non-profit organisations may assume a unique role – that of building bridges for communication and collaboration between different systems, markets and societies.

In this sense, the value of philanthropy is no longer merely reflected in resource allocation or problem-solving but is gradually transforming into a deeper societal capability: maintaining connections amid differences, building trust amid change, and providing a gentle yet solid fulcrum for the sustained evolution of society from a long-term perspective. Perhaps it is through such practices that the non-profit sector can guide us toward a more resilient and inclusive future in these uncertain times.

变革十年与未来机遇：中国慈善与非营利组织格局与展望

概述

从历史角度看，中国有着深厚的慈善传统，扶危济困、乐善好施长期以来都是社会文化的重要组成部分。但就现代意义上的慈善制度而言，其发展历程并不算长。2016年，《中华人民共和国慈善法》正式颁布（于2023年修正），中国由此建立起以基金会、社会团体和社会服务机构为核心的系统性境内非营利组织法律框架。2017年，《境外非政府组织境内活动管理法》出台，在维护国家安全的基础上，进一步确立了针对境外非政府组织的规范化管理体系。

这两套并行的法律制度在过去十年间逐步完善，已成为支持中国非营利事业不断发展的坚实支柱。2026年仍然是机遇与挑战并存的一年，站在中国非营利事业发展的关键时点，我们得以回望过去十年的发展变化，并展望未来十年的发展前景。

一、宏观图景：中国非营利事业数据与趋势

境内非营利组织

中国非政府组织体量显著：若以登记数量计算，截至2025年底，中国已有86.5万家依法登记的境内非营利组织。这意味着中国境内非营利组织数量已超过日本、韩国、越南、新加坡及印度尼西亚之和，在西太平洋地区居于首位。但从全球范围来看，中国非营利组织规模仍远小于美国和欧洲，其数量约为美国的六成左右，在组织密度和社会参与度方面仍有进一步提升空间。

数量回落及适者生存：2025年，境内非营利组织的总量出现小幅下降。根据公开信息及实践观察，相关退出主要集中在资金来源不稳定、长期缺乏实质性项目，或未能持续履行年度信息披露义务的组织。这一变化在一定程度上反映出行业正从数量扩张阶段转向结构优化阶段，部分治理能力和运行效率较低的组织正逐步退出。

境外非政府组织

关于境外非政府组织。近年来，尽管监管环境制度化和严格化已成为行业的普遍感受，但境外非政府组织仍然在全球化进程面临信任危机的大背景下将中国视为重要目的地。自2017年中国允许境外非政府组织设立代表机构以来，在华代表机构数量一度快速增加；此后的2018年至今，该数量仍保持稳定增长，年平均增长率超过7%。

二、角色重构：非营利组织在中国角色的转向

过去十年间，非营利组织在中国的功能定位经历了结构性转变。早期阶段，其主要角色更多体现为“单向援助提供者”，工作重点集中于资源输入与服务供给。

近年来，一个显著的趋势是，非营利组织正从“单向援助提供者”转向“资源整合者”或“协作平台”：

• • 一方面，越来越多的境内非营利组织正在探索“走出去”的路径，参与到国际项目、跨境合作及全球议题治理当中。
  • 另一方面，境外非政府组织在中国的角色也发生了显著变化——不再局限于面向中国开展援助活动，而是借助中国在产业、技术和组织能力方面的优势，融入更广泛的公益网络之中。

这一变化在新冠疫情期间表现得尤为突出。在应对疫情的过程中，许多非营利组织在协调中国制造能力、对接全球医疗物资与疫苗需求方面发挥了关键作用。相较于传统的捐赠模式，这类工作往往涉及更加复杂的供应链管理、合规安排及跨境协作，对非营利组织法律合规与项目管理能力提出了更高要求。这表明非营利组织的运作模式已取得显著升级。

三、外部变量：地缘政治与非营利事业的变化

近年来，地缘政治环境的变化日益成为影响非营利组织运作模式的重要外部变量。尤其是在国际关系持续处于复杂状态的背景下，非营利组织在区域布局、资源配置及项目运作方式上，正经历一轮具有结构性特征的调整。

一个较为明显的现象是，一些境外非政府组织正考虑将部分区域职能或运营安排转向新加坡、欧盟等相对中性的司法辖区。但这一调整并不意味着其撤出中国。事实上，多数组织仍保留着在华机构与项目基础，只是通过多点布局策略增强运营与合规的灵活性。

这一过程中，非营利组织的职能也在相应发生变化。跨区域协调与资源整合成为了重要的能力增长点，合规管理、跨境协作和风险隔离等工作均有了更高的要求。

四、未来之钥：非营利事业中的人工智能与数据流动

近年来，人工智能与大数据技术在中国非营利领域的应用，正成为一项值得关注的新趋势。最新的实践启示我们，在较为依赖人工的传统模式的基础上，人工智能等技术手段的应用可以为公益项目的可持续性提供新可能。在数据保护方面，由于能源、公共卫生及环境保护等领域公益项目往往涉及敏感数据，数据安全与合规监管也因而更加严格。

五、新的驱动：中国富裕家族的全球慈善力量

近年来，中国富裕家族（尤其是崛起的新一代群体）在非营利领域的影响日益显现。他们的作用不再局限于单纯地提供资金，而是扩展至项目参与、结构治理以及长期战略规划；他们的关注范围涵盖气候变化、教育发展与生物多样性等全球议题，慈善活动也不再局限于国内捐赠，而是逐步向全球发展项目和国际合作模式延伸。

结语：展望下一个十年

中国非营利事业将继续在制度完善、技术应用与国际协作中演进。在全球不确定性加剧的背景下，非营利组织将承担起一种独特的角色——在不同制度、市场与社会之间搭建沟通与协作的桥梁。

从这个意义上说，慈善的价值已不仅仅体现于资源配置或问题解决，而是逐渐转化为一种更深层次的社会意义：在分歧中维系联结，在变化中积累信任，为社会的不断发展进步提供平稳而坚实的支点。或许正是通过不断积累这样的实践经验，非营利事业才得以在这充满不确定性的时代，引领我们走向一个更具韧性与包容性的未来。