Some Facts About NED and Liu Xiaobo

The China Times: There's an anonymous comment on "Havel's Open Letter to Hu Jintao on Liu Xiaobo's Jail":

Liu Xiaobo has received hundred thousands of US government funding via the NED in the past five years. Check NED's China grants for Independent Chinese Pen Center and Zhongguo Minzhu magazine, which Liu heads.

If Liu is American he would be in violation of FARA (Froeign [Foreign] Agent Registration Act).

Following his reference, we've checked the website of NED ( National Endowment for Democracy ) and its grants for Asia Programs:

http://www.ned.org/grants/08programs/grants-asia08.html#China

To understand more about NED, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Endowment_for_Democracy

The two organizations mentioned in anonymous comment are:

Independent Chinese PEN Center
$152,350*
To promote freedom of expression in China. Activities will include translation of materials on freedom of expression into Chinese, publishing banned materials to enable Chinese readers to have access to diverse views and literary works despite official censorship, and organizing domestic and international advocacy campaigns on behalf of imprisoned writers and journalists.

and

Democratic China, Inc.
$150,000
To promote well-informed and uncensored dialogue on issues relevant to China’s political development. The grantee will publish weekly the online Chinese-language magazine Minzhu Zhongguo (Democratic China), which carries news and analysis by authors inside and outside of China regarding current affairs, culture, history, and international relations.

The website of magazine Minzhu Zhongguo (Democratic China) is www.minzhuzhongguo.org which contains about 30000 static pages generated by ASP scripts, it ranked 656,938 on Alexa.com, the visitors' geographic details are:
83.0% United States
6.9% Canada
10.0% OTHER

According to some threads posted in Chinese forum (search 刘晓波+NED), Independent Chinese PEN Center also received funds from other sources secretly. Liu Xiaobo was indirectly supported by a fixed income of tens of thousands of dollar every year, and his online magazine has annual budget of $136,000 funded by NED (unconfirmed information).

We have no intention of judging the links between these organizations and NED, also we don't comment on the relation between Liu Xiaobo and NED. The China Times ( Chinais.com ) only focus on credible information.

We can find the brief of NED China programs on its website. Here is the full list of organization supported by NED ( Mainland China only, programs in Hong Kong not included here):

http://www.ned.org/grants/08programs/grants-asia08.html#China

Rule of Law and Public Participation
$180,913
To strengthen the rule of law, enhance citizens’ awareness of their legal rights, enhance norms of access to information and the free flow of information, and broaden participation in public policy debates. Projects will support a variety of educational, research, policy analysis, and legal aid activities.

American Center for International Labor Solidarity
$294,058
To empower workers, promote government accountability, and improve access to justice in China. The Solidarity Center, in cooperation with local partners, will sponsor research, education programs, trainings, and seminars to build effective networks in specific industrial sectors, as well as enhance the capacity of stakeholders to initiate viable labor regulation reforms related to worker safety and health.

American Center for International Labor Solidarity
$134,454
To promote labor rights and government accountability. The Solidarity Center’s partner organization conducts in-depth research on labor issues, disseminates a variety of research and educational publications, and engages in related legal aid and advocacy activities.

American Center for International Labor Solidarity
$120,418
To promote labor rights in China. The Solidarity Center will cooperate with local partners to conduct trainings and other outreach activities to raise awareness of labor rights, particularly as they relate to occupational safety and health.

American Center for International Labor Solidarity
$40,000
To promote awareness among Chinese workers of their rights. The Solidarity Center and its partner will continue distribution of its worker rights information CDs inside China as well as frequent interviews with the international and Chinese press.

American Center for International Labor Solidarity
$40,000*
To strengthen enforcement of the Labor Contract Law and other labor protections in China. The Solidarity Center’s partner organization will conduct education workshops for workers, and publish and distribute a study guide regarding the Labor Contract Law and other relevant regulations.

American Federation of Teachers Educational Foundation (AFTEF)
$40,000
To encourage the introduction of democratic teaching methods in classrooms. The AFTEF will assist local partners to conduct a variety of workshops and produce educational materials for distribution in hard copy and on the Internet.

Asia Catalyst
$15,000*
To function as a regional forum and facilitate cross-border linkages among NGOs. Asia Catalyst will develop a Chinese-language informational website that will include resources for NGOs and post information about human rights, social justice, and environmental protection initiatives.

Beijing Dongzhen-Nalan Cultural Communication Co., Limited (BDNCCC)
$36,500 *
To strengthen civil society and advance respect for human rights. BDNCCC will facilitate several trainings for civic groups to introduce to participants basic concepts of human rights and organizational development skills, such as management systems, leadership, and team building.

Beijing Spring Magazine
$180,000*
To publish the monthly Chinese-language magazine Beijing Spring, which carries analysis and commentary by authors inside and outside China regarding political developments, social issues, and the prospects for democratization in China.

Beijing Yirenping Information & Counseling Center, LLC
$70,000*
To promote the rule of law and the development of public interest law in China. The Center will maintain a telephone hotline to provide citizens with legal aid, conduct research regarding legal reforms and produce related public reports, make policy recommendations to relevant authorities, and hold a discussion series for lawyers and concerned citizens.

Beijing Zhiaixing Information Counseling Company Limited
$235,000*
To operate a diverse program promoting accountability and human rights. The work of the organization will include legal aid, investigative reporting, activist training, and human rights documentation related to HIV/AIDS and other public health threats.

Celeluck Company, Ltd.
$100,000*
To promote free discussion and analysis of current events and political issues. Celeluck will publish a series of Chinese-language books on issues related to the future of democracy and human rights in China. The organization will also continue to issue its monthly periodical, Open Magazine, known for its exposés and timely analysis of trends and newsworthy events in China.

Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE)
$167,708
To enhance the capacity of business associations and other NGOs. CIPE and its partner organization will collect and disseminate information on management best practices, and publish a guidebook promoting a better model of self-governance for independent organizations.

Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE)
$26,133
To encourage good governance and enhance private-sector participation in public policy debates on key reform issues. CIPE will support local partners in China to conduct regular symposia on China’s economic and governance reforms, in which independent voices can engage government officials in policy discussions.

Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE)
$94,182
To encourage advocacy efforts by raising awareness of key reform issues. CIPE will work with its partner in China to hold weekly policy forums. These forums will focus on themes such as political and economic reforms, civil society development, and social justice.

Center for Modern China
$261,000*
To maintain a forum for informed and responsible debate of public policy questions. The Center will publish Modern China Studies, a quarterly Chinese-language scholarly journal that features economic and social science research concerning liberal, democratic solutions to contemporary policy questions in China. In addition, the Center will engage in a historical memory project that gives voice to alternative views of an important historical event.

China Aid Association
$75,000*
To promote religious freedom in China. China Aid will publish the Chinese Law & Religion Monitor, a semi-annual journal containing analysis and documentation of religious issues and human rights abuses suffered by religious believers. China Aid will also maintain an online library of reference materials, including Chinese- and English-language full-text copies of laws and regulations governing religious practices in China.

China Free Press
$140,000
To expand the space for free expression. China Free Press will host banned and censored Chinese pro-democracy websites that provide a platform for discussion and debate on current events and pressing social, political and economic questions facing China. China Free Press will also maintain a dedicated civil rights page as a forum for reports, commentary, and appeals by citizens.

China Information Center
$410,000*
To provide an alternative source of news and opinion for audiences in China. The Center will disseminate news, commentary, and independent analysis of developments in China and important international events through two Chinese-language websites and an email list.

Democratic China, Inc.
$150,000
To promote well-informed and uncensored dialogue on issues relevant to China’s political development. The grantee will publish weekly the online Chinese-language magazine Minzhu Zhongguo (Democratic China), which carries news and analysis by authors inside and outside of China regarding current affairs, culture, history, and international relations.

Friends of China Labour Bulletin
$80,000*
To promote labor rights and government accountability. The organization conducts in-depth research on labor issues, disseminates a variety of research and educational publications, and engages in related legal aid and advocacy activities.

Human Rights in China (HRIC)
$430,000*
To advance internationally recognized human rights in China. HRIC facilitates the work of domestic groups in building an effective agenda for social, legal, and political development through collaborative research and education, print and electronic publications, and advocacy.

Independent Chinese PEN Center
$152,350*
To promote freedom of expression in China. Activities will include translation of materials on freedom of expression into Chinese, publishing banned materials to enable Chinese readers to have access to diverse views and literary works despite official censorship, and organizing domestic and international advocacy campaigns on behalf of imprisoned writers and journalists.

Initiatives for China
$75,000
To promote inter-ethnic understanding, mutual trust, and cooperation among prodemocracy activists from different ethnic groups in China. Initiatives for China will organize an inter-ethnic conference with conflict resolution workshops and panel discussions on democracy, human rights, and religious freedom.

International Republican Institute (IRI)
$400,000
To expand the space for civic engagement in China by supporting citizen groups and coalitions. The program will help strengthen the capacity of Chinese civic organizations and coalitions by providing opportunities for international exchange and by supporting partner organizations’ research, monitoring, and education activities.

International Republican Institute (IRI)
$45,000*
To promote legislative and legal reform on workplace and property rights discrimination. IRI will facilitate the work of its partner organization to conduct research and education activities, hold workshops, and develop and distribute a training handbook, model guidelines, reports, and other publications.

Laogai Research Foundation
$280,000
To campaign for the abolition of the laogai labor camps. The Foundation will carry out investigation and documentation of the Chinese system of labor camps, while also undertaking a program of timely research exposing other human rights problems in China.

Princeton China Initiative
$115,000
To promote media freedoms and civic engagement via the Internet in China. The program will bring together specialists in Internet technology to exchange information and create online tools that can be used by ordinary Chinese citizens, journalists and social activists for “citizen journalism” and civic-oriented, open communication.

Princeton China Initiative
$210,000
To promote human rights in China. The Princeton China Initiative will carry out a broad program of support for human rights projects to enhance transparency, accountability, legal knowledge, and access to justice.

Princeton China Initiative
$120,000
To provide an effective forum for free expression and stimulate liberal debate on China’s international role. Princeton China Initiative will publish China in Perspective Magazine, which will provide a pluralistic platform for Chinese writers to discuss issues related to comparative democratization, Chinese foreign policy making, responsible international behavior, and nationalism.

Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Center (SMHRIC)
$75,000
To advance the human rights of ethnic Mongols in China. SMHRIC will report on the human rights conditions in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, also known as Southern Mongolia, through a website and an English- and Mongolian- language electronic publication, Southern Mongolia Watch.