China’s Foreign News Rules Spell Trouble for an Open Olympics

By HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINA
published on September 11, 2006

Human Rights in China (HRIC) is alarmed by the Measures for Administering the Release of News and Information in China by Foreign News Agencies (Measures) issued on September 10, 2006 by China’s official Xinhua News Agency. These far-reaching new measures, effective immediately, replace previous 1996 regulations that only dealt specifically with “economic information.”

“These Measures are an authoritarian attempt to control news and information dissemination and the access of China’s users to uncensored news and information,” said Sharon Hom, HRIC Executive Director. “The Measures reflect an intensification of hard-line information control. It is not an approach that respects individuals’ freedom of expression, a free press and information transparency. It also breaches Beijing’s commitment to allow journalists to freely cover the Olympic Games in 2008. These latest Measures sound a wake-up call to the international community that a closed, state-controlled Olympics is on the horizon.”

The Measures list the types of information that may not be released. These include news and information that may endanger China's national security, reputation and interests, that violates China's religious policies or promote “evil cults” or superstition, and other content banned by Chinese laws and administrative regulations. “These Measures, both comprehensive and vague, echo the language in the PRC State Security and State Secrets laws. It provides yet another legal tool for censoring activities of not only foreign news organizations, but also of all civil society groups engaged in information dissemination. Removing this information from the public arena, information that is necessary for the PRC government and civil society alike to address serious social issues and corruption, only serves to stymie efforts to build a more transparent and accountable government,” said Hom. “These Measures will seriously undermine the ability of international media and other groups to report from and on China.”

The Measures also give the power to select news for release solely to Xinhua, and prohibit foreign news agencies from directly soliciting subscribers. The Measures specifically state that they also apply to the release of news and information inside mainland China by agencies in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macao Special Administrative Region and Taiwan. “Not only the international press community but also IT companies should be very alarmed by these Measures,” said Hom. “Companies that think they can benefit from the China market, and that China users can subscribe to their news and information services in a ‘free-market’ manner, should think again!”

A full English translation of the Measures is posted on People’s Daily Online: http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200609/10/eng20060910_301349.html