Have Foundations Become an Independent Sector in China? Exploring the Links Between Foundations and the State

The Regulations on the Management of Foundations (2004) potentially marked a watershed in the development of foundations in China. Many practitioners and researchers believe that, since then, foundations have become an independent sector with significant characteristics. This note addresses this matter, based on available data from various sources. It counters the belief about the independence of foundations by indicating that most are state-linked, with state-granted privileges in choosing their fundraising status and the policy areas in which they work. Their state connections serve, at least in part, to explain their structures and modes of operation