Cross-strait Tri-regional Collaboration for Civil Society Development

2010-01-08T16:56:00.002+08:00

By Leemen Lee

January 4, 2010, the “Cross-strait Tri-regional Collaboration for Civil Society Development” Forum was co-hosted by the School of Philanthropy of Dharma Drum University, the College of Hakka Studies, Institute of Hakka

Political Economy, and Institute of Government and Law of National Central University. Prof. Liu An-Chi, President of DDU, Prof. Jiang Ming-hsiu, Dean of College of Hakka Studies of NCU, along with almost fifty participants were in attendance.

Prof. Chan Kin-man, Director of the Center for Civil Society Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong gave a keynote speech for the forum. Prof. Chan highlighted that NGOs reacted far more effectively and efficiently during the 2008 Sichuan earthquake than the 2003 SARS outbreak in Chine in terms of civic involvement, scale and scope of service programs, inter-organizational collaborative platforms, and program continuity, etc. One reason might be the different nature of the disasters. However, the statistics have shown that the civic society in China has developed considerably during the last few years. The driving forces behind the Chinese civil society development, as Prof. Chan pointed out, did not come from the government. Rather, it’s mainly due to the awakening of Chinese entrepreneurs who benefitted by the positive influence of the global civil society (including Hong Kong and Taiwan) and became more socially engaged in the public sphere.

Prof. Chan observed that the Chinese government adopted the “Management by Categories” strategy that gives more room for service-oriented organizations to grow but strictly limits the establishment and activities of cross-regional or advocacy-oriented organizations. Prof. Chan pointed out that local government officers tend to calculate the political benefits and risks of NGOs’ activities, and those involved in cross-regional activities and with international connections, such as the National Alliance of Psychological Relief, often became targets of political oppression.

Prof. Sun Way, chair of Institute of Government and Law, emphasized the importance to institutionalize the collaborative networks formed during the disaster relief. Prof. Chen Ding-min highlighted that a number of passionate young Chinese scholars are leading the transformation and development of Chinese civil society. Prof. Sun Chi-Pen (Center for General Education at National Chiao Tung University) pointed out that nationalism is a critical factor affecting the path of Chinese civil society.

Ms. Lin Shu-er, director of Taiwan Thinktank, suggested that regulatory advancement such as tax exempt arrangements may provide incentives for more tri-regional collaboration for civil society development. Prof.Yang Pei of DDU discussed the role of government in supervising and supporting grassroots organizations, and Prof. Lee Leemen shared that young people may integrate personal careers with social mission through their participation in civil society activities.

An exchange student from Chong Qing University asked a question of how to build a civil society based on tolerance. Prof. Chan emphasized that “tolerance” is not only built on a political system that encourages and protects freedom of speech, but also built on the citizens’ attitudes and abilities to be able to truly listen to one another. Different from arguing and commanding, creative dialogue requires a genuine willingness to listen. And, as Prof. Chan concluded, genuine dialogue fosters citizenship, the most crucial element of civil society.

「兩岸三地公民社會現況與合作機制」論壇

2010-01-08T16:38:00.001+08:00

【李禮孟/中壢】法鼓大學於1月4日(周一)上午在中央大學與客家學院、客政所及法政所共同舉辦公益論壇，劉安之校長、中央大學客家學院江明修院長及近五十位各界夥伴與師生到場參與。香港中文大學社會系教授兼公民社會研究中心主任陳健民在專題演講中指出大陸的民間組織在2008年的汶川大地震救災行動中，展現了非

常積極的作為，不管是投入的規模、服務的類型、跨組織合作平台的建立、持續性等等，均遠比2003年的「非典（SARS）」要強得多。這雖可能是災難性質的不同，但各種數據亦顯示中國大陸的公民社會在近幾年有重大的進展，使民間組織的參與救災能力大為增強。陳教授認為促成公民社會進展的主要動力並非來自政府，而是在全球（包括香港、台灣）公民社會正面影響中，來自中國大陸本土企業家的社會責任覺醒。

從法規制度的環境面來看，陳教授指出大陸對民間社團正採取「分類管理」模式，對於服務性質的地方社團較鼓勵，對於跨區域、倡議或政治性質的社團則嚴格限制其成立與服務範圍。而地方政府對待NGO，則經常處於計算其所帶來的貢獻（政績）以及風險；例如投入災後重建成效顯著的「全國心理援助聯盟」，因其跨區域並有國際連結的特性而受到壓制。

中央大學法律與政治研究所所長孫煒教授在與談中強調將NGO所形成之網絡予以制度化持續運轉之重要；客家政治經濟研究所所長陳定銘教授則指出，大陸公民社會因著一批本土年輕學者的實踐行動而注入動能。交通大學人文社會學系孫治本教授認為「民族主義」是觀察大陸民間社會發展的重要面向；台灣智庫林淑娥主任則建議透過改善法規以增進兩岸三地社會合作的空間與效益。法鼓大學楊蓓教授指出政府對NGO需監督與支持並重，李禮孟教授則提問青年如何透過參與公民社會使個人生涯與社會目標結合。

一位來自重慶大學的交換學生提問如何建構有「寬容」精神的公民社會。陳健民教授強調「寬容」不僅需要在制度面保障言論表達的自由，避免一言堂；更核心也更難的是個人的「聆聽」態度與能力，真正願意促進有創造力的對話而不只是各自只說不聽的爭辯，並透過對話的啟發過程促進公民性格（Citizenship）的深化。

DDU Philanthropy forum法鼓大學籌備處公益論壇

Cross-strait Tri-regional Collaboration for Civil Society Development

「兩岸三地公民社會現況與合作機制」論壇