Searching for new welfare governance in China: contracting out social service and impact on government-NGOs relationship

Abstract

In the past decade, the influence of global forces for public sector reforms through the involvement of third sector organizations in social service delivery in the form of contracting out of social services has been growing. Understanding that the state alone can have difficulties financing and providing good quality social services, the Chinese government has made attempts to engage non-governmental organizations to deliver them. This article critically examines how the contracting out social service policy adopted in China has enhanced social service delivery. This article also reflects upon the social governance reforms in China and its effects on the government-NGOs relationship.