China promises foreign media freedom

BEIJING, July 11 (UPI) -- A senior Chinese leader says foreign journalists covering next month's Beijing Olympics will be allowed freedom to do their job.

Li Changchun, during a visit to the Beijing International Media Center, said foreign reporters can lodge complaints if they encounter any problems while covering the events, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The media center, one of three set up for the Games, opened this week.

"If you are dissatisfied, you can file your complaint directly to Liu Qi, president of Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of XXIX Olympiad," said Li, a member of the powerful Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

"I hope you could truly and fully cover the event and tell the world (about) a true China," he added.

Answering one of the concerns of foreign journalists, Li said the center has facilities to provide round-the-clock broadcast transmissions and the transmissions would be secure, the report said.

More than 20,000 members of the media are expected to cover the Games.

The Xinhua report said under China's new media regulations, foreign journalists would no longer need to be accompanied or assisted by a Chinese official when reporting from the country.