China trains government spokespersons

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, September 23, 2003

China trains government spokespersons

The Chinese government is polishing up its public image and improving its media relations with a new generation of professionally trained spokespeople.

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The Chinese government is polishing up its public image and improving its media relations with a new generation of professionally trained spokespeople.

Zhao Qizheng, director of the State Council Information Office, said at the opening ceremony of a training program run by his office that it would increase administrative transparency and promote news releases.

The program would have two stages: in the first, 100 spokespersons from 66 central governmental departments would receive a five-day training course from Sept. 22 to 26; the second stage to be held at a later date would provide training for spokespersons from provincial-level governments.

The training program, using case studies and practical exercises, would invite senior government spokespersons and specialists from universities to give lectures on news releases, public relations and language skills.

Zhao said Chinese government spokespersons had played an important role in providing authoritative information to the media since the news release system began in 1983.

The government had realized that the timely release of major decisions, important events and breaking news would help to avoid undesirable public rumors, which sometimes triggered social unrest and chaos, he said.

All central governmental departments and most provincial governments had set up a spokesperson system, but some did not hold regular news conferences.

"China's spokesperson system has began to take shape, but it needs further improvement," said Zhao.

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