In place of non-government organisations (NGOs) or non-profit organisations (NPOs), the government has recently begun using the term social organisations (SOs), both in the new draft registration and management regulations for social organisations and other documents. Three types of SOs are listed: social associations (社团 shètuán), formed by specific people with specific aims; social service agencies (社会服务机构 shèhuì fúwù jīgòu) that provide specific social services and assistance; and foundations (基金会 jījīnhuì) that people or legal persons can donate to for specific or general programs of social support. By using ‘social association’ as the key term, central authorities are likely looking to emphasise the continued right of associations to operate, while ‘social service agencies’ are to be cast and classified by the social services and goods they provide. Each are seen as able to be called on by the State to assist with the centre’s policy goals.
Using the SO concept allows organisations to avoid the phrase ‘non-government’, because it sounds ‘anti-government’ in the present Chinese political context. Not referring to such organisations as ‘non-profit’ also avoids comparisons with the private sector.