China is inching closer to passing a new law for governing foreign nongovernment organizations (NGOs). The final draft of the law is already prepared and officials are likely to fast track the approval.

Two drafts of the proposed law were severely criticized by foreign governments and NGOs. The third proposal was not released for public scrutiny.

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According to state run news agency Xinhua, the latest draft is likely to have fewer restrictions than the second draft. The latest draft requires foreign NGOs to make full disclosure about the use of their funding. They are also required to publish all the causes they support.

But the new draft makes some concessions as well. In the last iteration, the proposed law allows foreign NGOs to establish more than one office in China. It also "deletes the five-year limit on operations of representative offices in China."

The most hotly debated part of the draft requires foreign NGOs to register themselves with the police or the Ministry of Public Security. The proposed law is also likely to require foreign NGOs to find an official partner group in China. Such partner will be required to take responsibility for all the actions carried out by the foreign NGO.

The proposed law was met with wide skepticism. More than 1,000 foreign NGOs are estimated to be operating in China in diverse areas. The new law will provide sweeping powers to police to micromanage foreign NGOs.

In response to criticism of previous drafts, the Chinese government also made some changes in the latest draft. The latest version has exempted science and engineering research institutes, and overseas colleges and hospitals from the preview of the proposed law.

Tagschina, NGOs