The improvement of the government news release system is an
important and urgent task against the backdrop of economic
globalization and Chinese economic development, said a senior
Chinese official Tuesday at a training program for government
spokespeople.
Zhao Qizheng,?minister of the State Council Information
Office, said the timely publication of information is not a
privilege given to the people, but a due obligation and
responsibility of the government.
The training program, already in its second stage, trained 100
spokespeople from 66 central government departments from Sept. 22
to 26 this year and continued to provide training for spokespeople
from provincial-level governments in November.
The program, using case studies and practical exercises, invited
senior government spokespeople and specialists from universities to
give lectures on news releases, public relations and language
skills.
Zhao said the improvement of the news release system is
conducive to the publicity and transparency of government services
and helps government build effective channels for connection with
the public.
Although the Chinese government news release system was
established in 1983, it was not mature enough to release all news
in a timely fashion and journalists sometimes found it difficult to
interview officials.
The government has realized that the timely release of major
decisions, important events and breaking news helps to avoid
undesirable public rumors, which sometimes trigger social unrest
and chaos, experts say.
The outbreak of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) last
spring helped improve the information releasing system in Guangdong
Province, Beijing and Shanghai, Zhao said.
Currently almost all departments under the State Council have
set up press spokesperson systems, and many provincial governments
are establishing such systems.
(China Daily November 5, 2003)