RFA Unplugged, the RFA blog, has translated most of an essay by Bao Tong about the loosening of regulations for foreign media, and press freedom in China:
The first time I was interviewed, the journalist asked me directly what I thought of the new rules. My answer was definite. I said, ‘This is a step forward. If it is put into practice for just a day, then that’s a day of progress. If it is upheld in the longer term, then that’ll be long-term progress.’ So the journalist wrote and sent his piece in English from this interview.
The next time, the journalist asked me how I remembered Zhao Ziyang. I said I thought that everyone had the right to do anything legal that they wanted to do, and that I recommended using civil rights activities as a way of commemorating him. “Everyone could do this, every day,” I said. “Zhao’s political ideal will be realised on the day that every Chinese citizen truly enjoys the rights bestowed on them by law.” That article was also sent out to the world in English. [Full text]