Society

Jet Li's One Foundation may not last

By Zuo Likun (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-09-15 19:42

Three years into the One Foundation founded by actor-turned-philanthropist Jet Li, the charity itself is in need of help. Its private status prevents it from direct public fundraising.

The One Foundation, in Li's words, is "a kid without an identity". It has operated as a partnership with the official Red Cross Society of China, but that is about to end this year. Without the contract, the foundation will face legal restrictions collecting money..

Li's announcement on Sunday during an interview with China Central TV that the nascent charity could be suspended sparked an immediate debate on similar situations faced by many of China's private charity groups. Li's distress about the charity's fate was obvious.

But according to Wednesday's Legal Evening News, a supervisor surnamed Ye at One Foundation said the foundation is running as usual and its contracts with Red Cross would continue. She said Li's words shouldn't be misinterpreted as a sign that the foundation is giving up, but rather they should be interpreted as an alarm call on the shared plight of private charity groups in China.