In China, non-governmental organizations (NGO), also referred to as social organizations, non-profit organizations or the third sector, have been growing fast in the last two decades. (source: World Bank – see below)

The Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) variously refers to NGO as people organizations (minjian zuzhi 民间组织), non-governmental organizations (feizhengfu zuzhi 非政府组织), or social organizations (shehui tuanti 社会组织). According to the NGO Research Center at Tsinghua University, these three terms are actually synonymous. Additionally, the term private non-profit organization (minban fei qiye zuzhi), or minfei, provides an even more expansive definition of an NGO in China. Minfei organizations in China can include some hospitals, educational institutes and retirement homes, for example.
(source:NGOs – U.S.Embassy page)

China Development Brief’s database of over 200 International NGOs operating in China .

Challenges for young people at China’s NGOs

CASIN report – Non-governmental organizations in China, 2005

The World Bank and NGOs in China
The World Bank and NGOs in China (same page as above)

How to Deal With NGOs – Part I, China: Domestic and foreign NGOs in China are under close scrutiny over the past year.

NGOs in China – The third sector in the globalization process and social transformation Qin Hui – Tsinghua University

Philanthropy and the Third Sector Overview – China

List of NGOs in China (a Wikipedia page)