China's temporary rules that freed up reporting regulations for foreign journalists, in the run up to the Olympics, expire today.

And authorities are refusing to say whether they will be extended, reports AFP.

The looser rules, which never applied to Chinese journalists, meant, among other things, foreign media could interview local people and travel to most places in China without having to get government permission.

Officials saying little

From AFP:

" … China's communist rulers have indicated that some freedoms will be maintained but have given no details on what the post-Olympic environment will be for the international media.

" "China will continue to follow the opening-up policy and to facilitate the work of foreign media and journalists in China," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters on Tuesday.

" The Foreign Correspondents' Club of China [FCCC] said it was unaware of what freedoms would be kept or removed after Friday, although it said it noted the comments from the foreign ministry.

" "Chinese officials have for some time been making positive statements suggesting that the current media openness for foreign correspondents will not be reversed," club board member Melinda Liu said …"

Abuses documented

The Times Online – commenting about the fact authorities have refused to say whether the concessions will be extended – write " … Like the headmaster who once again finds himself confronted in his study by the recidivist truant, the world is saddened, though not surprised ... "

The regulations, which came into force in January last year, were part of the government's promise that its hosting of the Olympics would improve human rights.

Human Rights Watch says China should extend the regulations and extend them to apply to domestic journalists.

A higher standard

Meanwhile, many claim the Olympic reporting rules were not always respected by authorities.

Human Rights Watch says it has put out two reports detailing the abuses and harassment of foreign correspondents, which document the flawed implementation of the regulations.

Human Rights Watch's Sophie Richardson says:

" … "While there were serious problems in implementing Olympics-related media freedom regulations, they did mark a new and much higher standard in Chinese law for reporting freedom. But keeping the regulations in effect and extending them to Chinese journalists would be one of the most important legacies of the Games." …"

The FCCC has details of more than 335 cases of reporters being hampered while doing their job since the regulations came into effect.

That included things like detention, harassment of sources and staff, interception of communications, denial of access to public areas, being questioned in an intimidating manner by authorities and being followed.