OPINION> Commentary
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OPINION> Commentary
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Into a brave news world
(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-05-26 07:16 Some observers attributed the timely and comprehensive coverage of the quake to the ideological emancipation that accompanied China's reform and opening-up over the past 30 years, which also brought about remarkable political progress and transparency in the country, says a commentary in Xinhua News Agency. The following is an excerpt: On May 12, a powerful earthquake jolted Sichuan Province. Minutes later, the Xinhua News Agency began pouring out stories on the quake, while the China Central Television (CCTV) interrupted its regular programs to give viewers round-the-clock coverage of the disaster. The whole world was watching the quick and efficient relief work carried by the government and the people, seeing tens of thousands of military and civilian rescuers rush to the quake zone, with President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao standing among the ruins to soothe the survivors and encourage relief workers. In the past, breaking news was a top secret to China's own people and the international community was poorly informed or left to guess. The deadly epidemic of SARS (Severely Acute Respiratory Syndrome) in 2003 was another good example. It was covered up by some local governments in the initial weeks and the public went into a panic. Beijing Mayor Meng Xuenong was later forced to step down. It was SARS that made the Chinese authorities aware of the importance of protecting the public's right to know and the dangers and risks of a possible cover-up. This year, the Chinese media did not hesitate to report big events like the severe winter weather in southern China, the Lhasa riots on March 14, and the derailment and collision of two passenger trains in Shandong province on April 28. "Globalization means that nobody can cover up any news," said Wang Xiaozhen, an executive of CCTV. "The viewers want us to release news in a timely manner." In recent years, the Communist Party of China (CPC), led by Hu Jintao, has tried hard to deepen political reforms. The media have been playing a bigger role in promoting political transparency. The 17th National Congress of the CPC in October 2007 impressed people with the progress in political reforms by accepting the concept of protecting people's right to know, participate, express themselves and scrutinize the government, which drew great public acclaim. At the Party Congress and this year's NPC and CPPCC sessions in March, Chinese and overseas journalists were quite free to observe panel discussions and interview legislators. Nowadays in China, both the government and the public are paying increasing attention to issues relating to people's lives, Wang said. The Provisions on the Opening of Government Information, which took effect on May 1, say that the government must publicize the information necessary for the public to know widely or participate in. Meanwhile, the Law on Emergency Responses, enacted on Nov 1, does not prohibit the media from reporting accidents on their own. Transparency of information on the quake is the latest, direct proof of China's ideological emancipation, said Xiong Wenzhao, a professor with the Law Institute of the Central University for Nationalities. (China Daily 05/26/2008 page5) |
