This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7675306.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| China press freedoms due to end | China press freedoms due to end |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Rules that gave foreign reporters greater freedom during the Beijing Olympics are due to expire. | Rules that gave foreign reporters greater freedom during the Beijing Olympics are due to expire. |
| China has not yet said whether they will be extended, scrapped or replaced by a new set of regulations. | China has not yet said whether they will be extended, scrapped or replaced by a new set of regulations. |
| The rules were brought in as part of China's efforts to open up further to the outside world for the Olympics. | The rules were brought in as part of China's efforts to open up further to the outside world for the Olympics. |
| Critics claim that while they did give reporters more freedom, journalists were still harassed and intimidated by the authorities. | Critics claim that while they did give reporters more freedom, journalists were still harassed and intimidated by the authorities. |
| Unclear future | Unclear future |
| Despite repeated questions from foreign journalists about the issue, China has not yet said what will happen after the rules expire. | Despite repeated questions from foreign journalists about the issue, China has not yet said what will happen after the rules expire. |
| At a regular press briefing on Thursday, foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said new arrangements would be "released shortly". | At a regular press briefing on Thursday, foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said new arrangements would be "released shortly". |
| How free are reporters in China? | |
| "We will, as always, welcome foreign journalists to China and continue to facilitate your work and stay," he told reporters. | "We will, as always, welcome foreign journalists to China and continue to facilitate your work and stay," he told reporters. |
| China introduced the rules in January last year for foreign journalists who wanted to report on Olympic-related issues. They expire on 17 October. | China introduced the rules in January last year for foreign journalists who wanted to report on Olympic-related issues. They expire on 17 October. |
| They allowed correspondents to travel around China without first getting permission from the authorities - as they had to do previously. | They allowed correspondents to travel around China without first getting permission from the authorities - as they had to do previously. |
| "To interview organisations or individuals in China, foreign journalists need only to obtain their prior consent," the regulations stated. | "To interview organisations or individuals in China, foreign journalists need only to obtain their prior consent," the regulations stated. |
| In practice foreign reporters did have more freedom to do their work, but were not completely left alone by the authorities. | In practice foreign reporters did have more freedom to do their work, but were not completely left alone by the authorities. |
| Certain sensitive areas, such as Tibet, were off limits, and correspondents continued to be detained by the authorities. | Certain sensitive areas, such as Tibet, were off limits, and correspondents continued to be detained by the authorities. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY I do not think any of us will be holding our collective breath to see if Chinese officials will be less restrictiveShelia Bumgarner, United StatesSend us your comments | |
| Also these regulations did not apply to Chinese journalists, who face a high degree of control and censorship by the Chinese government. | Also these regulations did not apply to Chinese journalists, who face a high degree of control and censorship by the Chinese government. |
| "[The rules] did mark a new and much higher standard in Chinese law for reporting freedom," said Sophie Richardson, of US-based Human Rights Watch. | "[The rules] did mark a new and much higher standard in Chinese law for reporting freedom," said Sophie Richardson, of US-based Human Rights Watch. |
| "But keeping the regulations in effect and extending them to Chinese journalists would be one of the most important legacies of the Games." | "But keeping the regulations in effect and extending them to Chinese journalists would be one of the most important legacies of the Games." |