China leader in online fundraising

China has been leading the global growth of online fundraising after gaining notable progress in its charity sector over the last few years, said a Ministry of Civil Affairs official.

Speaking at a news conference, Jia Xiaojiu, director of the ministry's newly-created charity promotion and social work department, said the 20 designated platforms for online fundraising received almost 8.5 billion clicks and donations last year. Some foundations reported that more than 80 percent of their charitable money were made in the cyber sphere.

"China has become a leader for global online charity efforts," he said.

Jia said more than 28 million donors made online donations of over 830 million yuan ($120 million) on "99 Charity Day", an annual online donating event on Sept 9, initiated by Tencent Foundation in 2015.

China's public donations reached 90 billion yuan last year, with more than 7,500 charitable organizations nationwide, he added.

Li Bo, inspector at the new department, said the ministry is stepping up efforts to ensure wholesome charity environment on the internet.

Of the many measures the ministry has taken, a credit system has been established to counter online misconduct in the sector. Those found to be violating codes of conduct will be subjected to joint punishments from regulators of multiple sectors, he said.