China to Ensure Media Freedom during Olympics

Senior Chinese leader Li Changchun (middle) visits the Beijing International Media Center on Thursday, July 10, 2008.

Foreign journalists should complain formally if they have any problems in doing their jobs during the Beijing Olympic Games, senior Chinese leader Li Changchun said in Beijing on Thursday.

While visiting the Beijing International Media Center (BIMC), which opened on Tuesday to serve more than 5,000 non-accredited reporters during the Games, he said officials would effectively implement regulations that ensured foreign journalists would be allowed the freedom to report.

"If you are dissatisfied, you can file your complaint directly to Liu Qi, president of Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of XXIX Olympiad," he told reporters. Liu accompanied Li around the media center, one of the three major news centers of the Beijing Games.

Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, welcomed all foreign journalists to the country for the Olympics, saying, "I hope you could truly and fully cover the event and tell the world (about) a true China."

He said the center could provide broadcast transmissions around-the-clock. He promised to ensure the security of transmissions, a major concern of overseas journalists, and asked the staff to strengthen security measures.

Answering a question from an Aljazeera reporter, he said China was fully capable of ensuring the security of the Games from Aug. 8 to 24.

Juan Rosso of Colombia's Caracol Radio was satisfied with the service at the center. He told Li that the technology in Beijing was perfect, convenient and advanced.

"Colombian people need to know more about China as more Colombian entrepreneurs have come to China to invest, or look for options," he said.

Rosso said during the Games their reporting would also focus on China's economy, culture, history, tourism, entertainment and lifestyle.

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