opinion

Classified memo reveals China's strategy for “managing” foreign journalists
by Reporters Without Borders

Reporters Without Borders has obtained a classified memo from Chinese sources that sets out the behaviour that government officials should adopt with foreign journalists before and during the Beijing Olympic Games. It tells them to display openness but also to try to control and influence the international media’s coverage.

“While introducing more flexible rules for foreign journalists in January 2007, the Chinese authorities also established a nationwide policy for supervising and influencing the international media,” Reporters Without Borders said. “Parts of this classified memo show there is a real concern to provide better information to foreign journalists, but it also reveals that the authorities never abandoned their intention to censor the news.”

The press freedom organisation added: “While the Olympic flame is on its way to Beijing, we call on the International Olympic Committee to condemn any attempt by the Chinese authorities to obstruct the work of foreign journalists. The practices revealed by this document contradict the Chinese government’s undertaking in 2001 to allow complete press freedom.”

Dating from 2007 and entitled “Working recommendations for reinforcing management efficiency after the ’Rules for interviews by foreign journalists during the Beijing Olympic Games and their preparatory period’ take effect,” the memo obtained by Reporters Without Borders consists of instructions from the national authorities to those in charge of a province (including the local propaganda department and public security) on how to handle public relations and control press coverage.

The introduction explains that the aim of the recommendations is to respond to China’s needs during the holding of the Olympic Games. The public relations plan has six parts: creating an interview strategy, improving the news release system, building a propaganda system for foreign media, creating positive opinion online, controlling opinion in a crisis and training officials in public relations.

The plan has positive elements such as training officials and holding news conferences for foreign journalists, but it also entails serious obstructions to the free flow of news and information.

The memo also confirms that the authorities have an active policy towards online information content. It asks the provincial officials to “reinforce the work of commenting on the Internet and increase the level of opinion orientation on the Internet.”

In line with the crisis management law adopted in 2007, the provincial officials are also ordered to “influence coverage" on public emergencies and crises. And they are told in general that “positive propaganda must be reinforced” with a view to catching the attention of foreign journalists.

The government’s aggressive campaigns against foreign journalists and its accusations of foreign media bias are also unacceptable at a time when tens of thousands of journalists are preparing to come to China in the next few months to cover the Olympic Games.

The memo:

Working recommendations for reinforcing management effectiveness after the “Rules for the interviews of foreign journalists in China during the Beijing Olympic Games and their preparatory period” take effect

The “Rules for the interviews of foreign journalists in China during the Beijing Olympic Games and their preparatory period,” the “Interview methods for journalists from Hong Kong and Macao visiting the mainland during the Beijing Olympic Games and their preparatory period” and the “Rules for the interviews of Taiwanese journalists in the Chinese motherland during the Beijing Olympic Games and their preparatory period” (hereafter all referred to as “The Rules”) took effect on 1 January 2007. These special rules were devised in order to respond to China’s real needs during the holding of the Olympic Games. They are targeted at the interview activities of journalists from abroad during the Olympic Games and their preparatory period.

There are two underlying aspects to the correct application and implementation of “The Rules.” Firstly, one must keep one’s promises. Adhering to the Olympic Charter and organizing the Olympic Games are a solemn obligation, a duty, which China has assumed before the international community. Promises must be kept. Secondly, one must act according to the law. The preconditions for the promulgation and execution of “The Rules” are defense of the interests of the Chinese state and its security. “The Rules” constitute a legal framework for using the Olympic Games to enhance China’s international image. The working recommendations for reinforcing management effectiveness after “The Rules” take effect are as follows:

1. Take firm control of the organization of the development of “sequences of interviews” at the provincial level

Special care must be given to developing “sequences of interviews” with “…” as their overarching theme. The key is to deploy oneself fully, give an overall impetus, stress the important points and control the tempo. Each region, each city will study and establish a feasible plan for “sequences of interviews” with “…” as their overarching theme. The plan will be submitted to supervisors by the end of January.

Each city will constitute an interview territory. Each territory will choose one or two content themes that can be recommended to journalists from abroad. Content that can constitute a “sequence of interviews” includes the city, the countryside, agriculture, industry, science, education, public health, culture, historical monuments, local conditions and customs, people in the news and so on. Each territory will provide journalists with lodging, transport, a guide, an interpreter and other services. Each “sequence of interviews” will be written up in booklet form. The “sequences of interviews” of each city will be written up as a brochure, and put on a DVD.

2. Do more to improve the system of releasing information, reinforce the work of releasing information

More must be done to improve the work methods of provincial governments for releasing information, to perfect the work methods of the information offices of provincial governments, provincial departments and city and district governments for releasing information. Draw up a working plan for releasing information, based on key issues attracting society’s attention. Hold one or two news conferences a month. Give an impetus to the dissemination of information by press officers of their own accord. Reinforce training of spokespersons, improve their professional qualities, and improve their repartee abilities in interaction with the media.

Build a system of information offices at the provincial and city level that are open 24 hours a day. Begin now to phase in information offices open 24 hours a day at the provincial and city level. They must respond at all times, by telephone or email, to requests for information, accept interview requests from journalists and take the initiative of providing journalists from abroad with selected interview themes and subjects. They must actively provide their services and assistance for the interviews of journalists from abroad, and facilitate their normal interview activities.

3. Build and use an operational provincial system of external media propaganda

Full use must be made of the official information disseminated by the central government and the provinces for the foreign news media, positive propaganda must be reinforced at the provincial level, and the initiative must be taken in influencing and managing foreign public opinion. Care must be taken to ensure that the media in the big cities play a positive role, to reinforce [news] management, to draw attention immediately and to guide [journalists] in a positive way. Attitudes must evolve: we must prepare to be totally open to interviews by foreign journalists, to dare to accept interviews by foreign journalists, to disseminate our viewpoint by taking a clear and precise position, and not let ourselves be caught without an answer to important questions. We must know how to communicate with journalists from abroad, to master their style and their methods, to avoid contradictions and to handle [issues] judiciously.

4. Ensure that key information is disseminated on websites, constitute a force for positive information online

Reinforce the work of commenting on the Internet, increase the level of [opinion] orientation online. Perfect the online comment system, built a system, increase the capacity and level of [opinion] management on the Internet, create positive opinion online. There is a need to reinforce management of news websites and to guarantee appropriate opinion behavior as regards online news and information.

5. Increase the capacity for emergency response to sudden events, from the very outset, get the upper hand, learn to take the initiative in opinion management

Everywhere, reinforce training of each department in the dissemination of information about sudden events. Ensure that staff at all levels and employees involved in handling sudden public events are fully aware of the importance of disseminating official information from the first moment. Have effective methods for disseminating news and for organizing and managing journalists. Release immediate and accurate information when a sudden public event takes place. Manage journalists doing on-the-spot interviews in an orderly and effective manner and influence their coverage of the event.

6. Organize training in a serious manner, increase the abilities of employees

Quickly establish a training plan covering the entire province, especially for officials in villages, districts and towns surrounding Beijing. Officials all along the sequences involved in the proposed “sequences of interviews,” above all those who have a related job, should be successively trained in groups. Train and organize a propaganda unit with the aim of dealing with and adapting to the interview needs of journalists from abroad. At the same time, carry out an educational campaign for the masses using an appropriate method. When receiving journalists from abroad, every interview subject should behave in a friendly and natural way, with neither servility nor arrogance, and should demonstrate the spirit and style of officials and the masses. And thereby help to promote an opening-up of the towns, foster civilized behavior by citizens and in general enhance the level of the population.