China raises bar for top charity prize

BEIJING - The Chinese government has made changes to ensure stricter and more appropriate selection for its top philanthropy prize after multiple scandals hit the country's charities in recent years.

Zhan Chengfu, an official with the Ministry of Civil Affairs, revealed on Friday that the "China Charity Awards," previously an annual event, will be held once every two years, and winners will be reduced from 100 to 50.

"Changes in the rules will make the prize more valuable," said Zhan, without indicating whether the changes are connected to philanthropy scandals in recent years.

The public has questioned the transparency and honesty of China's charitable organizations in recent years as both the government-affiliated Red Cross Society of China and some celebrity charities were suspected of fraud.

Last week, disaster-relief workers in south China's Hainan Province were even accused of supplying moldy bread to typhoon-stricken victims during Typhoon Rammasun.

Zhan said members of the award's judging panel will be composed of randomly chosen people, and they must abstain from judging nominees to whom they have ties.

Those winners found to have engaged in fraudulent behavior will be stripped of their prizes and denied nomination for the prize for six years, said Zhan.