A Guide to Navigate China's Current Hostility to Foreign Reporters

Death threats against foreign correspondents and official statements demonizing Western media risk creating a hostile environment for international media planning to cover the 2008 Games, says the Foreign Correspondents Club of China (FCCC).

It's not too late to improve conditions. In addition to urging authorities to investigate the death threats, the FCCC recommends a number of measures that can be taken to help create an environment in keeping with Beijing's Olympic promises.

These include the following:

--Nationwide implementation of the Olympic reporting regulations, including full media access to Tibet and Tibetan areas in the provinces of Sichuan,Gansu, Qinghai and Yunnan.
--Investigation of reports of official harassment of foreign media.
--Timely issuance of press visas to foreign media planning to report in China during the Olympics period.
--Improved government transparency, especially in Olympics-related departments.
--Guarantees that Chinese nationals who speak to foreign media will not be punished or intimidated.
--An early pledge to extend the current foreign media reporting regulations after they expire on Oct. 17, 2008.

The statement also includes an appendix with comments from six veteran sports journalists on their reporting experience in Beijing during the run-up to the Games.