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Beijing Olympics 2008: Winning Press Freedom 82 Some of the restrictions have been lifted and some officials are becoming more openminded in handling the press nowadays. But as we can see from the unrest that erupted in Tibet in March, the Chinese government is still very distrustful of the press. After two or three days’ coverage, reporters were placed under escort and ordered out of Lhasa. We found that act unjustifiable and regrettable. After the foreign press left, only stateowned media covered the events. It was very difficult to prove the truthfulness and credibility of official news coverage, or to monitor the situation. Although authorities invited some foreign media organizations to go back to Lhasa later, the itinerary was set by officials who accompanied reporters all the way. It only left the impression that the government was putting on a show. As the Olympic Games draw near, the government has relaxed the rules on reporting under regulations introduced on January 1 2007, but these will expire on Oct.17, less than two months after the completion of the Games. Under the new rules, accredited journalists are allowed to interview Chinese citizens or organizations without prior government approval, as long as consent is sought from the interviewees. Foreign media can also hire local Chinese as their assistants through authorized agencies. The procedure of bringing equipment into the country is also simplified. A massive influx of visitors to China is expected for this spectacular event. I hope that the Chinese government can seize this opportunity to show the both the modernization and the opening up of the country. Beaming to China in Chinese: upsides and downsides Yuwen Wu News & Current Affairs Editor, BBC Chinese Service I am here to address the issue of how China deals with foreign media, with particular reference to our experience with the BBC Chinese Service. It couldn’t be a more appropriate time to discuss this issue now, as both China and Western media, including the BBC, have been very much in the news following the riots in Tibet and the Olympic torch relay; there is a strong attack on the Western media’s reporting of these events in the Chinese official media, which has spread onto forums, social networking and video-clip web sites. I will return to this topic at the end of my speech because I think it is important to put such outbursts in the proper political context. I will first explain through our own experience how the authorities control or use foreign media, with the hope that we can reach some understanding about realistic expectations in the coming months.
Beijing Olympics 2008: Winning Press Freedom 83 I will make the following points in my presentation: • In China, media is tightly controlled by the authorities, and there are strict guidelines as to what and what should not be reported; this is to insure that the masses toe the party line on major issues, have confidence in the government and are not influenced by foreign media. • As far as foreign media is concerned, the authorities want to keep as strict control as possible, and employ many tactics to do so, including jamming and blocking output, denying visas to journalists, interference and harassment, and intimidating people who dare talk to Western media. • Yet, China is also increasingly concerned about how it is portrayed by foreign media, and has been trying to project a more positive image in the world; foreign media can also be used in this effort. • In our dealing with the Chinese authorities, our status as a foreign media organization that broadcasts and publishes directly in the Chinese language can work against us or to our advantage, all depending on the wider political climate, and what China wants to achieve in its cooperation with us. • In this Olympic year, the government’s preoccupation is to have successful Games and highlight China’s achievement; some short-term concessions might be given, but we are yet to see if they represent real changes to press freedom. Control of domestic media Since embarking on opening up and reforms three decades ago, China has not only achieved breathtaking economic successes and improved the living standard of hundred of millions of people, but it has also loosened up control in many aspects of people’s lives, so they are much freer to move around, to seek employment of their choosing, and to live a lifestyle without state interference. People are much freer to express their opinions, such as on corruption, legal reforms, environment, social problems etc., but crucially, the authorities still control what can and what cannot be reported on many issues, and anything perceived to question the legitimacy of the government or the political system is not tolerated. For instance, there are many taboo areas about which open public debate is not possible, such as the 1989 Tiananmen student movement, the legacies of some former leaders, and political campaigns. On other issues, such as Taiwan and Tibet, foreign policy, and Falun Gong, the authorities don’t want the masses to stray from the party line, and those who do so face severe consequences. A popular and liberal magazine, Freezing Point, was suspended and its editor removed from the post simply because it carried some articles considered to have crossed the line. Some dissidents have been sentenced to prison terms for speaking out on political issues. Control of foreign media In this context, it is not hard to understand why the authorities want to exercise strict control over foreign media; it is simply an extension of the control over the domestic media, as they don’t want the people to know how these issues are debated inside and outside China.
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