Introduction

Abstract

Since 1978, China has opened itself, not just to the global economy, but also to social movements and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in global civil society. Scholarship on Chinese NGOs and civil society has reflected these developments, contrasting the state's early attempts to eradicate and control civil society organizations with more recent acceptance of, and even reliance on, the NGO sector. Two factors—linkages between Chinese NGOs and international actors and online communications—have propelled Chinese civil society development. Yet, Chinese civil society remains uneven across geographic and issue areas. This introduction examines the opportunity structures presented to Chinese NGOs by international and online linkages, as well as introduces the articles collected in this special section (in two parts).