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Growing Tensions in Hong Kong’s State-Nonprofit Relations

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Hong Kong 20 Years after the Handover

Part of the book series: Studies in the Political Economy of Public Policy ((PEPP))

Abstract

The state-nonprofit relationship is often an uneasy one. Governments, especially non-democratic governments, may be suspicious of nonprofit organizations (NPOs). Strategies are adopted by governments to manage and even control the nonprofit sector’s activities. In this chapter, the case of Hong Kong is used to discuss how tensions between the state and the nonprofit sector are created and to illustrate how a government tightens control on the nonprofit sector through economic and management tactics.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Cited, for example, by Beng-huat Chua in the book Communitarian Politics in Asia (London: RoutledgeCurzon, 2004).

  2. 2.

    See http://www.censtatd.gov.hk/FileManager/EN/Content_1064/A2_E.pdf.

  3. 3.

    The political parties such as the Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People’s Livelihood and the Democratic Party.

  4. 4.

    This controversial incident took place in 1993. A group of residents occupied Garden Road Central with LPG bottles to express their anger over the government’s clearance action in Tsuen Wan.

  5. 5.

    Large enterprises include HSBC Commercial Banking, Hang Seng Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Sino Group and Shui On Group. A full list can be found in the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Annual Report 2014/15 (Hong Kong: HKFYG).

  6. 6.

    For example, the Jardine Matheson Group and Hong Kong Disneyland and Hongkong Land Limited.

  7. 7.

    NLPRA, The New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association Annual Report 2014/15 (Hong Kong: NLPRA).

  8. 8.

    “Social Workers Strike for Higher Salaries,” South China Morning Post, November 29, 2007.

  9. 9.

    “Face Sheet on Subvented Community Development Service,” The Hong Kong Council of Social Service http://webcontent.hkcss.org.hk/fs/er/Reference/CD%20Budget%20Background09_2005.pdf (Accessed March 20, 2016).

  10. 10.

    Anonymous interview with a CEO of a NPO on March 16, 2016.

  11. 11.

    See http://www.had.gov.hk/en/public_services/neighbourhood_mutual_help_programme/.

  12. 12.

    “Minister’s Concerns on Harmony ‘a Factor’ in Social Workers’ Move,” South China Morning Post, September 11, 2009.

  13. 13.

    “Home Affairs Bureau’s statement on August 5, 2009,” Home Affairs Bureau http://www.hab.gov.hk/file_manager/en/documents/publications_and_press_releases/20090805statement_e.pdf(Accessed March 10, 2016).

  14. 14.

    Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR, Article 104.

  15. 15.

    See http://www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_supportser/sub_partnership/.

  16. 16.

    See http://www.ceo.gov.hk/exco/eng/bernardchan.html.

  17. 17.

    See http://www.caringcompany.org.hk.

  18. 18.

    “‘Caring’ Firms Lauded Amid Fears of Staff Layoffs,” South China Morning Post, February 11, 2009.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Social Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

    Chi-kin Kwan

  2. Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

    Ernest Wing-tak Chui

Authors
  1. Chi-kin Kwan
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  2. Ernest Wing-tak Chui
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Correspondence to Chi-kin Kwan .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. The Academy of Hong Kong Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong

    Brian C.H. Fong

  2. The Academy of Hong Kong Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong

    Tai-Lok Lui

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Kwan, Ck., Chui, E.Wt. (2018). Growing Tensions in Hong Kong’s State-Nonprofit Relations. In: Fong, B., Lui, TL. (eds) Hong Kong 20 Years after the Handover. Studies in the Political Economy of Public Policy. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51373-7_9

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