China's Red Cross has grappled with trust issues in recent years .

In 2011, a woman called Guo Meimei became famous online for her ostentatious lifestyle. She claimed she was the commercial manager of China’s Red Cross.

In a televised confession after authorities detained her on illegal gambling charges, Guo admitted she had nothing to do with the organization. However, her actions were damaging the Red Cross's public image and raised questions about how the organisation spent and managed its funds.

The first draft of an amended law on the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) was reviewed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the top legislature, in 2015. It was the first proposed changes to the law since it was adopted in 1993.

For the RCSC, amending the law to supervise its activities and make them more transparent may act as an antidote to the widespread doubts cast on its trustworthiness in handling the charity donations it receives after a series of scandals in the past few years.  

After the third reading , the top legislature decided to pass it during the bimonthly session.

According to the new law, Red Cross societies in China and their staff are required to give feedback to donors on how their donations are used. 

It says those in charge and staff members directly responsible who fail to do so could face civil and criminal charges.‍

The first draft revision suggested independent third-party agencies should audit donations, while the second draft expanded the Red Cross societies' duties in the donation of stem cells and organs.

The third reading, however, specified that Red Cross societies could "participate in and promote" blood, body and organ donations, and could participate in and carry out "work related to" stem cell donations.

It also said leading supervisors at all Red Cross societies must be chosen through a "democratic process."

Chen Zhu, member of the NPC Standing Committee, also the director of the Red Cross Society of China, said: "The revision is very necessary and timely, especially the terms relating to strengthening the supervision and audit processes, as well as the foundation of a board of supervisors."

Although the total amount of charity donations has been on the rise nationwide in the past few years, the donations RCSC and its local branches have received have been on the decline.The total amount of donations the country received in both money and goods reached 104.23 billion yuan (15.67 billion US dollars) in 2014, but the amount RCSC received was only 2.64 billion yuan, 2.5 percent of the total, much lower than in 2011.