Three Chinese ministries will hold regular press conference from 2006, an official of the State Council announced in Beijing Thursday.

The ministries of Health, Education and Public Security will hold press conference at a given date each month from next year to release major news to the media at home and abroad, said Cai Wu, director of the Information Office of the State Council (IOSC).

The IOSC will encourage more government departments to release news independently next year, Cai said at IOSC's last press conference this year.

The Ministry of Health will hold the news conference on the 10th day of each month, while the Ministry of Education is on Wednesday of the first week of every month and the Ministry of Public Security, Tuesday of the second week.

So far, nearly 70 government departments and 27 provinces, regions and municipalities have established a news releasing system, Cai said, but only 10-plus departments including the Foreign Ministry and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council are giving regular press conference.

The Chinese government started news releasing service in 1993, which aimed at meeting demands of foreign media and the international society, said Cai.

Today, the news releasing has become an important way in giving the public prompt and concise information. More and more government departments have realized that speaking to the media does not hamper their work, he said.

"Next year our task is to combine what the government wants to say with the focus of the media and the issues of public concern," he said.

Source: Xinhua