Nine Chinese government departments, including the National Development and Reform Commission and Ministry of Labor and Social Security, will hold regular press conferences from January 2007.

"They will hold press conferences at a fixed time and place every month or quarter," said Cai Wu, director of the Information Office of the State Council, at a press conference here on Thursday.

The seven other departments are the Ministry of Construction, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Commerce, State Forestry Administration, State Intellectual Property Office, China Meteorological Administration and China Insurance Regulatory Commission. From the beginning of 2006, the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Public Security and Ministry of Health began to hold press conferences on a regular basis.

"China has made great progress in the release of information in 2006," said Cai.

Seventy-four departments under the State Council and 31 provincial, regional and municipal governments have established information release and spokesman systems.

Cai said more government departments, including the Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Civil Affairs and Ministry of Communications, are also preparing to hold regular press briefings some time next year.

Source: Xinhua