China Center Chart Dive: Charitable donations of foreign companies in China drop sharply

Business is the predominant funder of China’s nonprofit sector, providing upwards of 70 percent of its total funding. Foreign companies operating in China, termed “foreign-invested enterprises” (FIEs), have been significant contributors in the past. But FIE donations peaked in 2013, declined slightly in 2014, and then dropped sharply by 57.8 percent in 2015. 2016 data should be available in November. Given their relatively small number and market share in China in general, foreign companies still arguably punch above their weight in charitable giving. But will the Chinese public see it this way?