Foreigners applaud China's relaxation of overseas publications during Olympics
28/7/2008 17:16
China has lifted the ban on foreign publications as the Olympics draws
near, which foreigners praise as the country's open manner toward media
freedom.
"It offers a chance for us to have various information from
overseas, and also helps the Olympic reporting," said Nobuyuki Oguma with
Japan's Kyodo News, who stopped to buy Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun at a
newsstand at the media village.
About one hundred overseas newspapers and
magazines started sale on July 21 at news kiosks located in areas catering to
athletes and international media covering the Olympics.
The publications are
mainly from the United States, Britain, Germany, France, Japan, the Republic of
Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Some of them, such as the US-based New York Times,
The Washington Post and Italy-based La Gazzetta dello Sport first went on sale
in China.
Britain's tabloid newspaper The Sun are seen on sale at the media
villages and the Main Press Center (MPC).
"It is quite convenient for
foreigners to buy overseas newspapers and magazines in hotels, villages as well
as the Main Press Center," said Stephen Mccormack, press manager assistant with
the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games.
In the MPC news
kiosk, manager Yang Xiu told Xinhua that many foreign journalists drop at the
kiosk everyday to buy their favorite. Hong Kong's South China Morning Post and
the US International Herald Tribune were among the best sellers.
In the
Huiyuan Media Village where some 1,000 Chinese and overseas reporters are
accommodated, kiosk organizers are aiming for same-day delivery of
newspapers.
"Some big news agencies have reserved The Wall Street Journal,
Financial Times and USA Today in our kiosk. We deliver the newspapers to the MPC
for them everyday," Yang Zheng, manager of the kiosk, said excitedly.
Chinese
journalists also show interest in overseas publications. "A Chinese reporter has
reserved the August 4 edition of Time Asia magazine, the cover of which features
Chinese star Liu Xiang," said Zhang.
Providing foreign newspapers and
magazines during the Olympics is an international practice and also part of
China's commitment to the Games, according to the China National Publication
Import and Export Corp (CNPIEC).
The CNPIEC signed an agreement with the
Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games to supply foreign
publications to the newsstands in Olympic venues and distribute them promptly.
All the newsstands will run about 15 hours a day till the Paralympics
ends.
Xinhua
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