A new law to be passed in China provides for mandatory food banks to aid in providing food for those having difficulty.
A food bank in the west is generally structured as a non-profit,
charitable organization
so in China such food banks may be established under the Ministry of Civil Affairs which manages charity organizations and non-profits.
The growth of food banks has been welcomed by commentators who see them as examples of an active, caring citizenship. Other academics and commentators have expressed concern that the rise of food banks may erode political support for welfare provision. Researchers have reported that in some cases food banks can be inefficient compared with other state-run services, and that some people feel ashamed at having to use them.
Several other Asian countries have begun to use food banks; including
Nepal
,
South Korea
, and
Japan
.