From Reuters:
With the Olympic Games less than 200 days, away China’s President and Communist Party boss Hu Jintao on Tuesday called on cadres to step up their propaganda work to foster stability at home and a positive image abroad.
His speech, at a meeting of the party’s top propaganda officials, comes after Beijing said it would investigate reports by foreign media of a cover-up of workers deaths during construction of the main Olympic stadium.
“We should work hard on external propaganda to further display and improve a positive state image,” state media quoted Hu telling the group. [Full Text]
For an example of how the domestic charm offensive works in real life, see the China Media Project post about “China’s most grateful peasant.”