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Appendix
General Infomation
Foreign correspondents on temporary assignments in China should submit applications for visa in advance to Chinese embassies or consulates, relevant FAOs or the government units that are hosting them. Once approved, and after obtaining journalist visas, they may come to work in China.
Foreign correspondents accompanying delegations invited by government departments may only conduct press activities within the scope of the delegation's visit. If they wish to do reporting outside this scope, they should apply in advance through their hosts to the FAOs of the relevant provinces, centrally administered municipalities or autonomous regions.
Foreign correspondents whose reporting requires the use of radio transmitters, satellite communication equipment, walkie-talkies or other similar communications gear should submit applications in advance to both the Foreign Ministry and Chinese communications authorities. After verifying permission from these authorities, local FAOs or relevant local government departments will render assistance.
Resident foreign correspondents can only engage in news reporting in accordance with the identity and scope of work they have registered with the Information Department. They may not conduct reporting under the name of a foreign news agency for which they have not registered, or conduct activities outside their registered scope of business.
Foreign correspondents are required to bring their passports, Foreign Journalist Cards, and residence permits with them when traveling or carrying out press activities. They are also required to cooperate with PSB officers or members of the organization being interviewed who ask to inspect correspondents' identification documents.
A. Applying to Interview Major State Leaders
The Information Department of the Foreign Ministry is responsible for handling applications from foreign news agencies' resident correspondents to interview major state leaders of China.
1. Resident foreign correspondents should submit their interview applications to the Information Department of the Foreign Ministry three weeks in advance. The application should include the correspondent's name, title, the media organization he/she represents, the leader he/she wants to interview, and an outline of the questions to be asked.
2. Upon receipt of correspondents' interview requests, the Information Department will make specific arrangements on a case-by-case basis.
3. Correspondents on temporary China assignments who wish to interview major Chinese state leaders should file applications in advance to a Chinese embassy or consulate overseas, or to the relevant host department in China.
B. Applying to Interview Leading Officials of State Council Ministries and Commissions
1.Resident foreign correspondents should submit their applications to interview ministers or other principal officials to the FAOs of the relevant State Council ministries and commissions in advance. The application should include the correspondent's name, title and the media organization that he/she works for, as well as which minister or department head he/she wishes to interview and an outline of the questions to be asked. Applications for interviewing officials at the ministerial level of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should be submitted to the Information Department, while applications to interview departmental-level officials may be submitted directly to the relevant Foreign Ministry departments.
2.Upon receipt of the correspondents' interview requests, the FAOs of State Council ministries or commissions will make specific arrangements on a case-by-case basis.
C. Applying to Interview Officials of the Beijing Municipal Government and Units under Its Jurisdiction
The FAOs of the Beijing municipal government, district and county-level governments are responsible for processing interview requests, arranging interviews and coordinating press events for foreign correspondents hosted by organizations under the Beijing governments' jurisdiction.
1.Beijing-based resident foreign correspondents should submit their applications to interview leading Beijing municipal government officials to the Beijing municipal FAO. The application should include the correspondent's name, title, and the media organization that he/she represents, which leading official of the municipal government he/she wishes to interview, and an outline of the questions to be asked.
2.Beijing-based foreign correspondents who want to interview Beijing municipal departments, commissions, bureaus, companies, urban districts, adjacent suburban districts or their affiliated organizations should submit applications to the organizations or to the district government FAO. Applications to interview officials of outlying suburban districts should be submitted for approval to the Beijing municipal FAO.
3.Guangzhou and Shanghai-based correspondents who want to interview officials of the Beijing municipal government, related city departments, districts, counties and their subsidiaries should submit their applications to the Beijing municipal FAO for approval.
4.Resident foreign correspondents who wish to report in non-open areas or units under the jurisdiction of the Beijing municipal government must apply to the Beijing municipal FAO in advance.
5.Foreign correspondents on short-term China assignments who wish to interview Beijing municipal officials or units under their jurisdiction should make interview requests to the Beijing municipal FAO via the correspondents' host units.
D. Applying to Interview Officials of Provincial Governments, Centrally Administered Municipalities, Autonomous Regions and Units under Their Jurisdiction.
Provincial, municipal, and autonomous region FAOs are responsible for processing interview requests, arranging interviews and coordinating press events for foreign correspondents hosted by organizations under the jurisdiction of the relevant Provincial, municipal, and autonomous region governments.
1.Resident foreign correspondents who wish to travel to and do reporting in China's provinces, centrally administered municipalities and autonomous regions, or conduct interviews at organizations under their jurisdiction should submit in advance specific requests for approval by the local FAO. The application should include the correspondent's name, title, the media organization he/she works for and an outline of the questions to be asked.
2.Resident foreign correspondents are required to submit their applications to local officials to the local FAO, and include an outline of questions to be asked.
3.Resident foreign correspondents who wish to travel to and do reporting in areas of China, which are open to foreigners must first get approval from the relevant local FAO before they can start reporting there. Correspondents can apply directly to the relevant local FAO, make their specific requests and provide the projected dates of their activities. Once approved, they can begin work. Resident correspondents do not need approval to travel as tourists to areas open to foreigners, but they may not do any interviewing or reporting there. (Please refer to the list of open areas in the appendices.)
4.Resident foreign correspondents who wish to travel to and do reporting in areas of China, which are not open to foreigners are required to apply to the relevant local FAO and specify their reporting plans. They may proceed with interviewing and reporting only after they have obtained approval from the local FAO and travel documents from the local PSB.
E. Covering Visits to China by State Leaders of Correspondents' Own Countries and of Third Countries
1.Beijing-based foreign correspondents who are interested in covering a visit to China by the leaders or delegation of a third country must establish a press pool, usually consisting of eight correspondents. News coverage is in principle limited to the visits of presidents, vice presidents, prime ministers, foreign ministers of permanent members states of the UN Security Council and the UN Secretary General.
2.The press pool should apply to the Information Department and provide a list of the pool's members, including their names, the organizations they represent and their vehicle license plate numbers. News bureau staff without correspondent status may not join the pool.
3.Guangzhou and Shanghai-based resident foreign correspondents are, in principle, also allowed to cover local visits by the officials and delegations mentioned above. However, they must apply to the Guangdong and Shanghai FAOs, respectively, for approval.
4.The relevant divisions of the Information Department are responsible for releasing information about the visit, issuing temporary press credentials and helping correspondents get into Zhongnanhai, the Diaoyutai State Guest House and the Great Hall of the People for interviewing and reporting. Access to Zhongnanhai is limited, and only two correspondents from the press pool will be allowed in to cover functions there.
5.The press pool may cover various delegation activities, such as talks, meetings, welcome ceremonies and sightseeing.
6.All Beijing-based resident foreign correspondents may go to the Capital Airport and the area outside the East gate of the Great Hall of the People to cover the arrivals, welcome ceremonies and departures of foreign heads of state and their delegations. They should bring their press passes with them.
7.Resident foreign correspondents wishing to cover visits to China by leaders of their own countries should apply to the information department through their own countries' foreign ministries or embassies. When approved, correspondents may then proceed with their reporting.
F. Covering Important Visits Abroad by Chinese Leaders
1.All Beijing-based resident foreign correspondents may go to the Great Hall of the People to cover the arrival and departure ceremonies for Chinese leaders. They must bring their journalist cards.
2.Beijing-based resident foreign correspondents who wish to follow and cover important visits abroad by Chinese leaders may inquire and apply in advance to the relevant division of the Information Department. The Information Department will contact the Beijing embassies of the countries on the Chinese leader's itinerary in order to facilitate the correspondents' visa applications.
3.During the visit, the Information Department will facilitate the work of foreign correspondents by providing the itinerary for the trip, relevant materials and copies of speeches. Depending on the situation, it will also hold news briefings for the correspondents on talks and meetings between the leaders of the two sides. Foreign correspondents covering visits abroad by Chinese leaders must arrange their own transportation and lodging and cover all related expenses.
1.All Beijing-based resident foreign correspondents may go to the Great Hall of the People to cover the arrival and departure ceremonies for Chinese leaders. They must bring their journalist cards.
2.Beijing-based resident foreign correspondents who wish to follow and cover important visits abroad by Chinese leaders may inquire and apply in advance to the relevant division of the Information Department. The Information Department will contact the Beijing embassies of the countries on the Chinese leader's itinerary in order to facilitate the correspondents' visa applications.
3.During the visit, the Information Department will facilitate the work of foreign correspondents by providing the itinerary for the trip, relevant materials and copies of speeches. Depending on the situation, it will also hold news briefings for the correspondents on talks and meetings between the leaders of the two sides. Foreign correspondents covering visits abroad by Chinese leaders must arrange their own transportation and lodging and cover all related expenses.
1.All Beijing-based resident foreign correspondents may go to the Great Hall of the People to cover the arrival and departure ceremonies for Chinese leaders. They must bring their journalist cards.
2.Beijing-based resident foreign correspondents who wish to follow and cover important visits abroad by Chinese leaders may inquire and apply in advance to the relevant division of the Information Department. The Information Department will contact the Beijing embassies of the countries on the Chinese leader's itinerary in order to facilitate the correspondents' visa applications.
3.During the visit, the Information Department will facilitate the work of foreign correspondents by providing the itinerary for the trip, relevant materials and copies of speeches. Depending on the situation, it will also hold news briefings for the correspondents on talks and meetings between the leaders of the two sides. Foreign correspondents covering visits abroad by Chinese leaders must arrange their own transportation and lodging and cover all related expenses.
Appendix
I.The Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's Office and its Operation
The Foreign Ministry holds regular press conferences every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon at 2:45 pm in the Foreign Ministry's Press Room. At these regular conferences, the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson is authorized to announce to the media news about visits abroad by Chinese state leaders, visits to China by high-level foreign officials, the Chinese government's positions and opinions on major foreign policy issues and answer questions raised by correspondents concerning China's foreign policy. Beijing-based foreign correspondents must present their journalist cards to be admitted to the press conferences.
Between press conferences, resident foreign correspondents may contact the Spokesperson's office at 6596-3342 with questions concerning China's foreign policy. They may also make appointments to speak with the Spokesperson on Wednesday afternoons at the IPC (6588-2585, 6588-2586). After working hours, correspondents can call 1391-086-9861 for information.
The IPC occasionally hosts background briefings. Resident foreign correspondents and press officers from diplomatic missions are welcome to attend these activities. If you wish to be notified of upcoming IPC activities, send your e-mail address to the IPC at ipc@fmprc.gov.cn.
II. Spokespersons' Offices in Other Government Departments
a. Foreign correspondents who have questions on domestic matters should call the State Council Information Office's hotline at 6559-2311.
b. State Council ministries and commissions and their subsidiaries all have spokespersons who are responsible for releasing news about their respective departments. When necessary, foreign correspondents may direct their questions to these spokespersons. (For more information, see part IV.)
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