China to reorient think-tanks to make them serve CPC

China will strengthen its regulation on think-tanks in a bid to reorient them to serve the ruling Communist Party and toe the government line.
An official guideline issued by nine ministerial-level departments including the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Public Security, stipulates that think-tanks possess legal person status, and should be run by domestic social organisations.
Think-tanks should carry out activities for the purpose of serving the CPC and government decision-making, the guideline said.
They should abide by state laws and regulations while enhancing their awareness of social responsibility, state-rum Xinhua news agency reported. The guideline also stipulates a dual-management system for think-tanks.

Private-run think-tanks should register with the provincial civil affairs department and be supervised by the federation of social science circles at the provincial level.
Other think-tanks will be supervised by authorities in related fields and register with civil departments of the same level as the authorities in charge.
Unregistered social organisations are forbidden from operating in the name of think-tanks, the guideline added.