Beijing won wide recognition for its relaxation of the overseas media's access before and during the Olympic Games last year, but in the year since signs show tightening controls over dissidents and the domestic media.
To keep the promises the central government had made with its bid for the Games to provide foreign media with good working conditions, Beijing issued several rules and media guidelines in 2006 to help foreign journalists.
Under the relaxed rules, overseas reporters did not have to obtain permission from local governments or foreign affairs authorities when they interviewed organisations or individuals. Instead, all that was needed was prior consent from the person.
In May last year, the State Council implemented the governmental information disclosure regulation, which required governments at various levels to release information promptly on public incidents.
Thanks to these efforts, the foreign media has enjoyed unprecedented freedom in China, especially in their reporting on the Sichuan earthquake after May 12, 2008. Some measures have been extended and overseas media still have more freedom covering news such as the Xinjiang riot on July 5.
These measures have won acclaim for the central government, which is eager to reinforce its soft power and create an image of an open and confident country.
But in sharp contrast, domestic media had a tough year. Independent voices and negative stories were banned, and critical news was banned, and through the mainland internal propaganda mechanism, independent blogs, forums and the entire internet were closely monitored. Dissidents were told to behave during the Olympics last year, and security around them was increased.
