Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao signs decree granting travel & interview freedoms to foreign journalists

CHINA: Relaxed media rule now permanent
By Margaretta Soehendro, Managing Editor China Media
Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Premier Wen Jiabao signs decree granting travel and interview freedoms to foreign journalists

Beijing announced last Friday that China's media policy that allowed foreign journalists to travel and conduct interviews without first obtaining government permission would be permanently put into effect.

The policy was among a number of temporary regulations put in place on Jan. 1, 2008 that eased media restrictions for the Beijing Olympics in August. They were set to expire at midnight last Friday.

According to a Los Angeles Times report, analysts said Beijing made the move "in part because it provides the communist government with some favorable publicity at relatively low cost."

The policy went into effect immediately after Premier Wen Jiabao signed the decree. However, according to a Washington Post report, the lifted restrictions do not include travel to Tibet or other contentious regions.

While press rights groups welcomed the decision, they also called on Beijing to extend the media freedom to local journalists. The government retains a tight control over domestic media outlets and reporters.

Press organizations expressed further concerns that the media policy may exist only on paper and not in practice.

"We urge the government to ensure that police and local officials respect the spirit as well as the letter of the new rules," said Jonathan Watts, president of the Foreign Correspondents' Club of China, in a statement.