Chinese officials have tried to reassure foreign journalists after human rights groups have expressed concern recently that the government has reneged on promises to respect press freedom during the Olympics. From Reuters:
But Li Changchun, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee, the innermost ring of power, sought to offer assurances Beijing’s media freedom pledge would be respected.
“He said officials would effectively implement regulations that ensured foreign journalists would be allowed the freedom to report,” the official Xinhua news agency paraphrased Li as saying during a visit to the media centre for non-accredited reporters.
“If you are dissatisfied, you can file your complaint directly to Liu Qi, president of Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad,” he added.
Meanwhile, AP reports that, “China crackdown targets critics ahead of Olympics.” Another AP report says also that availability of foreign newspapers and periodicals will be increased in areas of Beijing frequented by athletes and foreign correspondents during the Olympics.