People-to-people connectivity is an important guarantee of facilitating the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), while public welfare activities and charity are a vital link and service platform for people-to-people connectivity. In this connection, we should encourage private foundations to take part in and contribute to the BRI.

Since charitable organizations, with their inherent affinity, are non-profit and voluntary, they often find it easier to communicate and interact with social groups of different interests and beliefs in various countries along the Belt and Road.

In the construction of the Belt and Road projects, we could help Chinese charitable programs gain wider recognition in these countries. In this process, the government is expected to provide the following five aspects of support.

First, we should improve regulations on foreign aid, which are now being formulated by China International Development Agency with the participation of relevant charitable organizations. A sound regulation with legal force will provide philanthropic work with rules to follow.

Second, establish a South-South charity cooperation platform. We suggest that an earmarked department for liaison with charitable organizations be set up in the China International Development Agency, and that a South-South charity cooperation mechanism be built to facilitate Chinese charitable organizations to participate in foreign aid efforts of the Chinese government.

Third, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange should streamline the procedures of appropriation and foreign exchange related to Belt and Road charity to enhance efficiency.

Fourth, put in place an internationalized compensation system for charitable organizations. We recommend that the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security should issue specific guiding opinions on the compensation system for personnel engaged in Belt and Road charity work. Operation should follow international common practice and be handled by councils of these charitable organizations.

Fifth is to carry out preferential tax policies. We recommend that the State Taxation Administration should exempt those who work overseas for charitable organizations from paying personal income tax for the salaries overseas.

Challenges and opportunities co-exist for Chinese charitable organizations when engaging in the BRI construction, but challenges are outnumbered by opportunities. There are various advantages for Chinese charitable organizations to go global. For example, the central government values the role of charitable organizations in participating in social governance and the importance of the cultivation and development of these players.

And a host of new-type charitable organizations are now emerging rapidly. As long as these organizations observe the Charity Law and commit to the five-pronged goal of communicating a philanthropic culture; enhancing the value of public welfare; promoting the competence of professionals; building an internationalized system and contributing to livelihood, they will usher in a new era of China's charitable work by engaging the the Belt and Road construction.

To reach the goal, the following things need to be done:

First, include the promotion of philanthropic culture in the basket of Belt and Road construction. So, we should share China's philanthropic culture with the Belt and Road countries, seek cooperation mechanisms with their charitable organizations and try to cultivate common cultural beliefs. And we should also improve the governance structure of charitable organizations, conduct more policy research in this regard, and include the BRI into the strategic framework of these organizations.

Second, publicize the value of Chinese public welfare. For this, we could select a host of outstanding charitable organizations to go onto the global stage to build Chinese brands; set up a dialogue mechanism between the government and charitable organizations; encourage international exchanges; strengthen training for humanitarian aid and human resources; expand business and accumulate experience on a gradual basis; encourage certain newly-established non-public funds to engage in international charity exchanges and projects cooperation and apply for government’s supporting funds.

Third, strengthen the competence of professionals. The key link for charitable organizations' engagement in the Belt and Road construction lies in professional human resources, which entails the overall competence of both those in Chinese organizations and those who work for international partners.

Meanwhile, measures have to be taken to improve remuneration for the employees and help them resolve difficulties in real life.

For this, we should invite those into the engagement who are dedicated, with international vision and familiar with international practice.

Fourth, build an internationalized system. For this, we should encourage China-led charitable organizations to register in related Belt and Road countries, support Chinese charitable organizations to join international ones through multilateral and bilateral channels like the United Nations; expand cooperation with famous international philanthropic groups and build exchange mechanism with both developed and developing countries.

The competent ones could strive to gain consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council, which will bring more opportunities to involve in international activities.

Last but not least, focus on livelihood. To achieve this, collaboration with foreign private foundations could generate suggestions for policy making related to BRI. And we should build efficient execution teams to make sure that charitable programs deliver, and that the counterpart charitable organizations, the beneficiaries and the local governments are all satisfied.

At the same time, we need to confront the real situations, do more research on the cultural differences in international charity cooperation to seek common development while reserving diversity.

In a nutshell, charity is an important component of the building of a community with a shared future for mankind; charitable organizations are vital media to promote the Belt and Road construction as well as people-to-people connectivity and professional management teams are a vital link in this regard.

In the new era, we should promote Chinese philanthropic culture, unleash the vitality in Chinese charitable organizations, form synergy in development and make our charitable work more international to help realize the goals of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Huang Haoming is deputy director and professor of China Global Philanthropy Institute.

The author contributed this article to China Watch exclusively. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of China Watch.

All rights reserved. Copying or sharing of any content for other than personal use is prohibited without prior written permission.