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China Elections and Governance Online, a project of the Carter Center's China Program, has received top honors from two major Chinese publications.

Named website of the year in China by Southern Weekend - an international current affairs weekly, based in Guangzhou, Ghuangdong province - China Elections and Governance Online was also recognized recently as a "top organization working for promotion of public interest in China" by Nanfeng Chuang (South Wind Window) magazine.

Launched in 2002 by the Carter Center's China Program and the Institute of Comparative Politics and Economics of Renmin University of China, the Web site - in English and Chinese - provides Chinese officials at all levels a resource center for governance and election affairs and gives scholars worldwide the opportunity to study Chinese politics and suggest reform measures.

In its citation, Southern Weekend commended the website for its "in-depth discussions with the public on issues of Chinese governance," and called it "an excellent platform from which government officials can observe public opinion and upon which officials and citizens can communicate with each other."

The newspaper noted that almost all major public opinion events that occurred in China in 2009 were covered by China Elections and Governance Online, with a "profound and sophisticated analysis of China's most important public events" by a large number of China's "public intellectuals."

The citation also singles out the website as a resource for both academics and the general public.

"Its influence has quickly surpassed that normally enjoyed by the small coterie of academia, becoming a common point of navigation for citizens and officials alike in this era of learning."

In its announcement of 2009 Annual Public Interest Awards - honoring individuals and organizations "for perseverance in navigating negative political crosscurrents" - Nanfeng Chuang magazine praised China Elections and Governance Online for its wealth of information and steadfast commitment to providing a space in which scholars, officials, and citizens can come together to debate sensitive issues in China's political reform, stating that the website was an "exemplar of organizations persevering against the odds in the current political environment."

China Elections and Governance Online ranked third in the "Organizations of the Year" category.

"In China's peculiar Internet environment," the citation read, "Chinaelections.org's ability to maintain a platform where netizens can speak more freely is due in part to its American sponsorship," noting the Carter Center's cooperative efforts with China's Ministry of Civil Affairs on projects including village elections and special education. "Relevant government agencies (referencing censorship authorities and state security apparatus) are inclined to give a little respect to the NGO programs of a 'pro-China' former president of the United States."

The awards bring both honor and challenge, said China Program Director Yawei Liu.

"Being named as one of the top organizations for promotion of public interests in China is both a tremendous honor and a huge challenge to the China Program," he said. "We feel good about this citation because we are making a difference in advancing political reform in China."

"We will work even harder now to promote the interests of the Chinese people and to preserve this outlet for netizens to debate critical issues," he said.

These awards are not the first for the website. In 2005, Southern Weekend recognized chinaelections.org as a significant portal in promoting political reform in China and gave it an honorable mention as an influential nongovernmental organization in China for its work on the site. In 2008, the site received an excellence award from the China Reform Association for its promotion of reform in China.

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"Being named as one of the top organizations for promotion of public interests in China is both a tremendous honor and a huge challenge to the China Program. We feel good about this citation because we are making a difference in advancing political reform in China."

Yawei Liu, China Program Director