Recently, 10 departments including the Central Propaganda Department, the Central Cyberspace Office, the Central Foreign Affairs Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, SASAC, and the State Administration for Market Regulation have jointly issued “Notice on Further Strengthening Standardized Management of Forum Activities”. It proposes 10 work requirements for forum activities (including forums, summits, annual meetings, and other conference activities with forum nature) held by various entities in public.

According to the notice, social entities holding forum activities should be registered in accordance with the law and have legal identities. Enterprises and social organizations without legal registration or without actual organizers are not allowed to publicly hold forum activities. Names of forum activities should be accurate, standardized, and matched to the reality, and should not be arbitrarily labeled with words such as “China”, “Zhong Hua”, “National”, “International”, “World”, “Summit”, “High-end”, or “Peak”. Theme setting of forum activities shall not exceed the scope of organizer's responsibilities. And the establishment of sub-forums, and parallel forums shall closely revolve around the theme of main forum activity.

The notice emphasizes two aspects. On one hand, illegal and irregular forum activities will be cracked down, such as forum activities without legal registration, “copycat” forum activities, and those apparent forums but actual swindles. The notice clarifies the responsibilities of regulatory departments, and forms the long-term crackdown mechanism. On the other hand, the notice offers encouragement and support to the development of legal and compliant forum activities, and creates a group of exemplary and leading brand forum activities by strengthening promotion, providing business guidance and rewards.

The notice makes specific requirements for social organizations, government offices, as well as their directly affiliated units to hold forum activities, and further clarifies the responsibilities of competent host, local management, and industry management. It also raises the requirements for venue providers and promotion platforms of forum activities, emphasizes the need to strengthen credit management and social supervision. It encourages all sectors of society to complain, report, and maintain legal rights.

Since this March, the Central Propaganda Department, with Ministry of Culture and Tourism and other departments have jointly deployed the nationwide rectification work for forum activities. Regional departments have conscientiously implemented and actively cooperated to crack down on illegal and irregular behaviors. The purpose of issuing the notice is to consolidate the achievements of rectification, continue to crack down on illegal and irregular behaviors, with further standardized management and improved quality. The notice fully leverages the positive role of forum activities in economic, social, and cultural development.

Click HERE to view the notice in Chinese