Freedom of the media, Chinese style

Next time we hear delighted media accounts from China, it might be worth remembering the following report from Xinhuanet.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Qin Gang explained to the foreign media at the routine monthly press conference:

“He said the measures are aimed at standardizing the foreign media's distribution of news and information and regulating domestic users' subscription of news and information from the foreign media, promoting the sound and orderly dissemination of news and information, and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of foreign media and domestic users.”

He did add that “China [was] an open society and has always taken a welcome attitude towards foreign media and journalists' reporting work in China”. Well, as long as it was properly regulated and standardized, particularly as far as domestic readers were concerned.