Laws of the People's Republic of China

Ministry of Commerce

Order of the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China

No. 18

The Interim Measures for Designation and Administration of Foreign Aid Youth Volunteers, which were deliberated and adopted at the 11th executive meeting of the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China on September 23, 2004, are hereby promulgated and shall come into force 30 days after the promulgation day.

Minister Bo Xilai

November 2, 2004

Interim Measures for Designation and Administration of Foreign Aid Youth Volunteers

Article 1

The present Measures are formulated for the purpose of regulating the work of designating and administrating of foreign aid youth volunteers and promoting the sound development of service work of foreign aid youth volunteers.

Article 2

The foreign aid youth volunteers refer to the youth volunteers who are designated by special institutions and sent to the developing countries and directly serve the local people of the developing countries by using national foreign aid funds.

Article 3

The foreign aid youth volunteers are mainly assigned to serve the developing countries that are friendly to China in the aspects of education, medical treatment and health and any other aspect beneficial to the development of public welfare undertaking of the developing countries.

Article 4

The foreign aid youth volunteers are one component of the national foreign aid personnel and go to work in the developing countries in the status of volunteers.

Article 5

The Ministry of Commerce shall be in charge of the foreign aid service of foreign aid youth volunteers.The Chinese Young Volunteers Association shall be entrusted by the Ministry of Commerce with the work of designation and specific administration of foreign aid youth volunteers.

Article 6

A foreign aid youth volunteer shall meet the following conditions:

(1)

having the nationality of the People's Republic of China;

(2)

being at the ages of 20 up to 35 in general, and the prescriptions about the age may be relaxed where it is necessary for the service work of foreign aid youth volunteers;

(3)

being in good health;

(4)

being a graduate of a regular college (university) or above in general;

(5)

being of good moral , and having no record of crimes or demerits; and

(6)

being faithful to the motherland, willing to dedicate , love to the cause of volunteer service, and volunteering to engage in volunteer service to a developing country.

Article 7

A foreign aid youth volunteer shall abide by rules relating to the dispatch of foreign aid youth volunteers and rules relating to the foreign aid personnel, be subject to administration of the Chinese embassy (consulate) in the foreign country. He shall abide by laws and regulations of the aid recipient , and respect the customs and habits of the aid recipient as well as all rules and regulations of the serviced entity.

Article 8

The Ministry of Commerce shall be responsible for working out the annual plans for dispatch of foreign aid youth volunteers, including the designated countries, number of volunteers, positions and service time as well as the capital budget.

Article 9

The Ministry of Commerce shall be responsible for negotiating and signing corporative agreements with the relevant departments of the aid recipient .The Chinese Young Volunteers Association shall be responsible for recruiting, selecting, training and dispatching foreign aid youth volunteers according to the corporative agreements.

Article 10

The economic and commercial counsellor's offices of the Chinese embassies (consulates) in foreign countries shall be responsible for the administration of foreign aid youth volunteers during their missions in foreign countries.

Article 11

The Chinese Young Volunteers Association may issue recruitment notices by virtue of the websites of the Ministry of Commerce and the Chinese Volunteers Service (www.zyz.org.cn) and news media, publicly recruit foreign aid youth volunteers from the general public, and may conduct directional recruitment aimed at specific districts or entities if it is required.

Article 12

The Chinese Young Volunteers Association shall, pursuant to the principles of openness, impartiality and fairness, select and employ foreign aid youth volunteers through the procedures of centralized examination, announcement of results and employment. The list of foreign aid youth volunteers shall be reported to the Ministry of Commerce for archival filing.

Article 13

The Chinese Young Volunteers Association shall sign volunteer service contracts with the foreign aid youth volunteers pursuant to the state rules relating to foreign aid youth volunteers .

Article 14

The Chinese Young Volunteers Association shall conduct centralized trainings to the foreign aid youth volunteers before they go abroad to offer service. And prior to the training, it shall work out a training plan which shall be implemented after being reported to and approved by the Ministry of Commerce.

Article 15

The Chinese Young Volunteers Association shall be responsible for handling exit formalities for the foreign aid youth volunteers pursuant to state rules relating to the dispatch of foreign aid personnel.

Article 16

The service period of foreign aid youth volunteers shall be six months up to two years, and generally shall be more than one year.

Article 17

The Chinese Young Volunteers Association shall examine the conducts of the foreign aid youth volunteers during the period of their services in the aid recipient. During the examination, it shall obtain the opinions of the economic and commercial counsellor's offices of the Chinese embassies (consulates) in foreign countries. And the examination results shall be reported to the Ministry of Commerce and notified to the recommendation entities or former work places after the examination . Any foreign aid youth volunteer who has successfully accomplished service missions will get a certificate of honor of youth volunteer to foreign aid. Any foreign aid youth volunteer who has excellent performance may be recommended to work for the economic and commercial counsellor's office of the Chinese embassy (consulate) in foreign country or an expert group of foreign aid.

Article 18

The rules on the expenses relating to the foreign aid youth volunteers shall be formulated by the Ministry of Commerce jointly with the relevant departments.

Article 19

The interpretation of the present Measures shall remain with the Ministry of Commerce. The present Measures shall come into force 30 days after the promulgation day.