The number of civil organizations in China grew 8.1 percent last year, thanks in part to a simpler registration policy.

It was decided during the National People's Congress in March that four types of NGOs - industrial associations, charities, community services and organizations dedicated to the promotion of technology - would be allowed to register without a government backer.

That helped push the number of Chinese civil organizations to 499,000 last year, according to the annual report on Chinese Civil Organizations released by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences on Tuesday.