The Chinese government stated last month that a “Zero Rejection” policy would be implemented, i.e., that upon an interview or inquiry request made by a foreign media, responses must be given within 24 hours. However, according the the BBC, this is not the reality that Michael Bristow, a BBC reporter stationed in Beijing, discovered.

The BBC office in Beijing issued 10 questions and inquiries to different Chinese government departments, such as the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Commerce, the Baoji City government, the Lhasa local government in Tibet and the Beijing Municipal Government. However, all the questions were kicked back and forth without any answers being given.

Source: BBC Chinese, September 18, 2009
http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/simp/hi/newsid_8260000/newsid_8263900/8263912.stm

According to Xinhua, there are more and more “Internet News Spokespersons” represented by the local governments and departments. Government officials must not only learn “how to deal with the media” but also learn how to directly deal with the large population of Internet users and with public opinion.

Cao Yi, the Guiyang Municipal Government’s first “Internet News Spokesman” and the city government’s Deputy General Secretary, said that the announcement of authoritative information through the Internet is to enable the government to contact the netizens in “Zero Distance.” The establishment of “the Internet News Spokesperson” system aims at releasing authoritative information in a timely manner and guiding public opinions in the right direction.

Source: Xinhua, September 14, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-09/14/content_12050998.htm

Zhou Yongkang, Politburo Standing Member and Party Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee, pressed for greater local security measures for the October 1 National Day Celebration. During an inspection tour of Beijing and its vicinity, Zhou said, “Maintaining stability in the capital to ensure celebrations are safe and successful is the overriding political task at the moment. Various destabilizing factors and security risks should be resolved locally so that local stability throughout the country will ensure stability in the capital, which in turn will lead to a safe and successful National Day celebration.”

Source: Ministry of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China, September 23, 2009 http://www.mps.gov.cn/n16/n1237/n1342/n803680/2058383.html

The Communiqué by the Fourth Plenary Session of the 17th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was published on September 18. China News Service quoted expert’s interpretation of the communiqué: it reveals the Communist Party’s concern about looming problems.

The communiqué mentioned the current situation more than just once, pointing to “Profound changes in the global, country and party situation, which imposed a new requirement for the Party’s development” and “The entire Party should brace itself for impending danger in the time of peace, develop heightened awareness of looming problems, remain concerned for the Party, fulfill the Chinese people’s responsibility to expand the Party, be daring regarding reform and innovation, and under no circumstances be rigid or stagnant.”

Source: China News Service, September 18, 2009
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/news/2009/09-18/1874886.shtml

During the Fourth Plenary Session of the 17th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the focal point was whether Xi Jinping would be crowned as the next leader of the Communist Party. The Chosun Ilbo, or North Korea Daily, reported some of Xi’s hard Line talks:

“China can solve the problem of feeding 1.3 billion people. That has already been the greatest contribution to the global community. Some foreigners who had nothing to do after being fed kept pointing fingers at us. China does not export revolution, does not export hunger or poverty, and does not try to stir up your lives, either. Why should you criticize China?”

Response on “How to view the Tibetan turmoil.” “There are many birds in a cage. If we drive the noisy birds out, the cage will no longer be active. We have already been immunized and seen too much. The key is how we settle our scores.”

Source: The Chosun Ilbo, September 18, 2009
http://chn.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2009/09/16/20090916000019.html