Foreign media enjoying greater access in China, says official

A senior Chinese foreign ministry official has said that Beijing is happy to see increased coverage of China in the international media.

New Delhi, Aug.3 : A senior Chinese foreign ministry official has said that Beijing is happy to see increased coverage of China in the international media.

"We are encouraged to see an increasing number of reports by foreign journalists, which now cover every aspect of our society," Liu Jianchao, director-general of the Information Department of the Foreign Ministry, told the China Daily.

"We are also encouraged to see that the new regulations have been widely welcomed and followed by foreign journalists," he added.

He was referring to the Regulations on Reporting Activities in China by Foreign Journalists during the Beijing Olympic Games and the Preparatory Period, which took effect on January 1.

According to the regulations, foreign media professionals enjoy wide and free access to report from China.

"It's not easy to enact a new legal document," Liu admitted. "We find it a sweating job to set up coordination networks and make clarifications to the grassroots across a country as big as China."

China Customs has simplified procedures to enable foreign journalists clear broadcasting equipment faster than before. All Chinese embassies and consulates have speeded up visas applications, he added.

The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad has also done a lot to smooth the way for international media to cover Beijing's preparations for next year's Games.

Many departments in both central and local governments have set up spokesperson systems, which give quicker response and more information to journalists' enquiries.

The Information Department of the Foreign Ministry even set up a round-the-clock hotline answering questions from foreign journalists.

As evidence of growing interest and confidence from the international media, Liu cited a sharp increase of resident foreign correspondents in China since the year's start. The contingent now numbers 705 from 351 media organizations based in 53 countries, compared to 606, 315 and 49 seven months ago.

Meanwhile, some 2,060 foreign journalists have come to China on reporting tours.

While foreign media workers have the freedom to cover China, they must still abide by the Chinese laws and live up to professional standards.

ANI