Red Cross to improve volunteer system

BEIJING - The Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) will improve its volunteer system in a bid to expand the country's volunteer participation, according to a conference held on Wednesday, International Volunteer Day.

Zhao Baige, executive vice president of the RCSC, said the RCSC will give full play to the roles of volunteers based on their professions and fields and strengthen the capabilities of volunteers at the grassroots level.

The RCSC will establish an online information platform covering provincial-level volunteer work, said Zhao, adding that the platform can better protect volunteers' rights.

Volunteers display noble character traits of doing good and helping the poor, which should be promoted by the RCSC, said Hua Jianmin, president of the RCSC.

The RCSC came under fire last year after a woman identifying herself as "Guo Meimei" claimed she worked for an organization under the RCSC and detailed her lavish lifestyle in her microblog, leading the public to question whether she was embezzling funds.

The incident had a negative impact on the image of the RCSC and triggered calls for greater scrutiny over charitable organizations. The State Council, China's Cabinet, later issued a guideline to encourage the RCSC to boost its transparency in order to win back public trust.