Organisational profile

China Development Brief, established in 1996, is an independent, non-profit publication devoted to strengthening constructive engagement between China and other countries.

Our core, English language product is a monthly, electronic newsletter that reports on environment, social development and civil society in China to a readership of decision and opinion makers in international development agencies, NGOs, research academies, policy think-tanks and mass media.

We are not a mass communications medium, setting out to describe and interpret China for a general, foreign readership. Rather, we are deliberately specialist, targeting international readers whose job means they need to understand China. More specifically, we write not for international investors seeking business opportunities, but for agencies and individuals that are attempting to contribute to China’s sustainable development and global integration. Our subscribers include multilateral financial institutions, foreign government donor agencies, grant-making foundations, international NGOs and some leading, private companies that are beginning to take seriously the notion of ‘corporate social responsibility.’

Over the last ten years we have gained a reputation for informed and accurate reporting and balanced, objective analysis that gives serious and sympathetic consideration to the development challenges faced by the government and people of China.

In addition to the regular, English language publication, we publish occasional directories profiling international and Chinese NGOs, and periodic, free-standing Special Reports – ranging from profiles of Chinese provinces to research studies based on original field work.

China Development Brief was originally established by Nick Young, a British citizen living in China, who had previously worked in Latin America and Africa as a reporter for mainstream international media.

Chinese sister

In 2001 we established a Chinese language sister publication. This is not a translation of the English edition. It is written in Chinese by Chinese staff, and in the main comprises entirely original material. (Chinese and English edition staff, however, often jointly research the same topic or story, then write separate, English and Chinese language articles, geared to the perspective of the different readerships.)

The Chinese edition is also a specialist publication with a specific focus. It was conceived as an ‘information platform and capacity building tool’ for China’s growing non-profit and philanthropic sector. As such, it reports on the activities of non-profit organisations and NGOs engaged in education, health, rights protection, legal aid and legal system development, community development, promotion of gender equity, social welfare and environment protection. It also carries feature articles and interviews on themes of interest to this community of organisations, and exchanges ideas and opinions on topics related to organisational development and the development of China’s ‘third sector’ as a whole.

The Chinese publication is distributed to Chinese NGOs, researchers, government workers with an interest in NGO development, Chinese staff of international development agencies, and Chinese government agencies engaged in poverty alleviation, sustainable development and social welfare projects.

Like its English counterpart, the Chinese publication has rapidly gained a reputation for fair and responsible reporting that stands above factional divisions to address the Chinese non-profit community as a whole.

Because our Chinese staff have considerable experience of engaging with and reporting on international agencies, they are also able to play a valuable role in interpreting, for a Chinese readership, international development concepts and approaches. Thus, while our English language edition attempts to help foreigners reach a more informed and sympathetic understanding of China, the Chinese edition attempts to help Chinese actors reach a more informed and sympathetic understanding of international approaches to development.

In 2003, to provide a legal platform for their work, our Chinese staff registered a Beijing Civil Society Research Centre (北京公旻汇咨询中心), which they jointly own.

Other services

Our website, which receives tens of thousands of individual visitors per month, includes back issues of both English and Chinese editions, together with events listings and a job advertisement service for agencies seeking to recruit Chinese or expatriate development professionals for employment in China.

We also on occasion provide training and advisory services to Chinese NGOs, notably in the field of communications strategies and skills.

Time and staff permitting we also provide consultancy services in research, training, project evaluation and conference facilitation. Past purchasers of these services have included the Ford Foundation, Save the Children UK, the UN International Fund for Agricultural Development, the UK Department for International Development, the Canadian International Development Agency, Voluntary Service Overseas, CARE International and the Charities Aid Foundation.

Finances

At present our English language publishing recovers about half of its core operating costs from sales, recruitment advertisements and paid consultancy services. The remainder of our funding comes from private grant making organisations.

Past donors, either to our core publishing or to special publishing or non-publishing projects, include Oxfam Hong Kong; Save the Children UK; the Ford Foundation, the Trace Foundation; the Kadoorie Charitable Foundation, the Great Britain-China Centre; the World Wide Fund for Nature; the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Partners for Community Development, the Canadian International Development Agency Civil Society Programme, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Human Rights Fund, and the Australian Agency for International Development.

Contact or visit us

China Development Brief /Beijing Civil Society Development Research Centre is located at No. 15 Zhonggu Hutong, Songzhuyuan Beixiang, Beiheyan Dajie, Dongcheng Qu, Beijing 100009, PRC. 北京东城区北河沿大街嵩祝院北巷钟鼓胡同15号 100009.

Zhonggu Hutong is a small alley in Beijing’s Dongcheng District, about one kilometre northeast of the Forbidden City. It is best accessed as follows:

1. Heading south on Beiheyan Dajie (北河沿大街) from the intersection with Dianmen Dongdajie (meaning that Huangchenggen Yizhi Park is on your left), take the third right turn onto a small street called Songzhuyuan Beixiang (嵩祝院北巷). Songzhuyuan Beixiang is just north of Jinchukou Yinhang (Chin Export Import Bank.)

2. Following Songzhuyuan Beixiang west, after a right-angle Z bend,you will see Zhonggu Hutong (钟鼓胡同) on your right. Turn onto this alley and follow it until you reach No. 15.

Please also refer to the map below:

Tel: +86 (0)10-6407 1400/8402 5759/8402 2532
Fax/Voicemail: +86 (0)10-6407 1400/8402 5759/8402 2532, Ext 13

Should you wish to contact an individual member of staff please use our feedback form.