Minister of the State Council Information Office, Cai Wu is reported to have said that; the government will provide comprehensive service to the foreign media next year with timely dissemination of more authoritative information.'

Will this 'authoritative information' extend to true statistics on the use of the death penalty, methods of torture, numbers of people imprisoned without trial or a comprehensive list of censored words, topics and website?

Chinese authorities are reporting that there will be more services available to foreign media in the lead up to the 2008 Olympic Games. Authorities point to the 17th People's Congress meeting (October 2007) as a positive example of foreign media access in Beijing. The imprisonment and silencing of domestic journalists around this time is not discussed.

In the same press conference where Cai Wu explained the increased access for the 30,000 foreign media expected to be in China in the lead up to and during the Games; he added "...we sincerely hope that through efforts by friends in the media circles we present to people around the world a true China that adheres to reform and opening up, promotes harmonious development and commits itself to building a moderately prosperous society."

It seems a contradiction to ask that a 'true China' be shown and that all representations are positive ones. It is true, there will be many positive and impressive stories coming out of China in 2008 and there will be individual stories of success and 'harmony'. Yet, to show a 'true' China, there is a completely different side - one where human rights are not respected, where domestic media are not free to report and peaceful human rights defenders face the risks of suveillance, harassment, imprisonment, torture and even death.

To hold the 17th People's Congress meeting up as a positive media moment is frightening. Chinese journalists and peaceful human rights defenders described the lead up to this Congress meeting as the worst in years. Human rights lawyers were reportedly beaten, taken from their homes and told to live Beijing for the duration of the meeting (5 days). This is not the type of 'service' that I would like to see in operation before, during or after the 2008 Olympic Games.

'Free and unrestricted media access' must apply to domestic and foreign journalists equally and must not cease the day the foreign cameras leave Beijing.

Read the October blog about the Congress meeting.