The Foreign Ministry has acknowledged that the new reporting rules for foreign journalists, which were implemented with varying degrees of consistency, will expire now that the Games are over. Yet it was not clear what the new rules would entail. From AP:
“I think when the time comes, we will tell everyone what the arrangement will be,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said. “But I want to reiterate to everyone that the spirit of opening up will continue.”
The changes, which allowed reporters to interview Chinese citizens without government approval, were part of the country’s pledge to increase media freedom, which helped Beijing be picked as host of the 2008 Olympics.
Jiang’s statement was the most explicit comment yet that Beijing intends to allow the current regulations to expire. A Chinese official had hinted last December that the new reporting rules could be extended.
