Beijing to back media freedom during Olympics: Jowell

By Nick Mulvenney

BEIJING (Reuters) – Beijing chief organizer Liu Qi will
back the freedom of media to report “unimpeded” around China
during the 2008 Olympics, Britain’s Olympic Minister Tessa
Jowell said on Tuesday.

Jowell said she had raised the issue of freedom of access
for journalists “in the strongest possible terms” in a meeting
in the Chinese capital with Beijing Organizing Committee for
the Olympic Games (BOCOG) President Liu.

“I made clear the expectation of the UK and others that
China would comply with international norms of free access and
reciprocity,” she said.

“I said if China is to maximize the potential benefits of
the Games then the freedom of journalists was absolutely
fundamental.

“He gave me a clear assurance that BOCOG would support
unimpeded movement of accredited and non-accredited journalists
to report not just on the Games, but on China.

“He mentioned exceptions, such as military facilities. (I
believe) the exceptions should be self-justifiable and in line
with international norms.”

Under current rules, foreign media in China face travel
restrictions while the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China
complained this year about continued harassment of reporters.

Around 20,000 media accredited by the IOC to cover the
Games will descend on Beijing for the 2008 Olympics with
thousands more coming to report from China without access to
the venues.

BOCOG have said media will be able to report in the same
way they had at previous Games and where Chinese norms differed
from international norms, international norms would prevail.

Regulations would be issued and enforced from next year,
Liu said last month.

Britain’s Minister for Culture, Media and Sport said Liu
had placed great importance on the relationship between Beijing
and London, which will host the 2012 Olympics.

Jowell had already expressed hopes that the media freedoms
would last beyond the Games when she visited the site of the
main stadium for the Beijing Games on Monday.

“As China becomes the fastest growing economy in the world,
I hope these freedoms will be seen by the Chinese government as
an opportunity to be seized as opposed to a threat,” she said.