Flumesday.com - Beijing Lifts Restrictions for Olympic Press

Beijing Lifts Restrictions for Olympic Press
After months of threatening to limit the foreign press's mobility and freedom of speech in Beijing during the 2008 Olympic games, the Chinese government announced Friday it has relaxed restrictions on the Olympic press. The Mao-inspired limits for foreign press within China, mainly prohibiting reporters to travel freely throughout the country and conduct interviews without state permission, will be suspended for the reporters covering the Olympics. In recent months the Chinese government has been in a tug of war with the International Olympic Committee over the freedom extended to foreign correspodents, but it seems China has come through on its promise that these Olympic games would be the world's and not China's. While the foreign press responded with relief to Friday's news, it remains to be seen whether or not what has been said will actually be done. After all, China has lived for decades under a closed policy to the foreign media. Despite this grand display of liberalization, don't think for a second that the foreign media will be able to inquire about anything while in China. In fact, the Christian Science Monitor obtained a training manual given to Beijing police titled "Olympic Security English" which contains a practice dialogue entitled, "How to Stop Illegal News Coverage." This dialogue can be used in the event that a Beijing police officer overhears an English-speaking reporter asking a Chinese person about a controversial issue, principally the issue of the religious minority the Falun Gong. How likely is this to happen-- a Beijing cop understanding a conversation in English and interjecting? Ridiculous. Anyway here is the actual copy of the script given to the police force to study before the Olympics. And to the right is what the dialogue will really sound like if it should occur:

Police Training Dialogue

What It Will Really Sound Like

P(oliceman): Excuse me, sir. Stop, please.
F(oreign journalist): Why?
P: Are you gathering news here?
F: Yes.
P: About what?
F: About Falun Gong.
P: Show me your press card and your reporter's permit.
F: Here you are.
P: What news are you permitted to cover?
F: The Olympic Games.
P: Falun Gong has nothing to do with the Games.... You should only cover the Games.
F: But I'm interested in Falun Gong.
P: It's beyond the limit of your coverage and illegal. As a foreign reporter in China you should obey China law and do nothing against your status.
F: Oh, I see. May I go now?
P: No. Come with us.
F: What for?
P: To clear up this matter.

(Christian Science Monitor)

P(oliceman): (Something loud and unintelligible in Chinese)
F(oreign journalist): Huh?
P: (Something loud and unintelligible in Chinese)
F: What?
P: (Something loud and unintelligible in Chinese)
F: I don't speak Chinese
P: (Something even louder and less intelligible in Chinese)
F: I don't understand you sir!
P: (Something loud and unintelligible in Chinese)
F: I...am...reporter...for...Olympics
P: (Something loud and unintelligible in Chinese)
F: Please sir no, I was just....
P: (Silence)
F: AHHHHHHHHHHH! AHHHHHHHH! MY LEGS! MY LEGS! AHHHHHHHHHH! MY LEGS!