Two years before more than 20,000 international journalists descend on Beijing for the opening of the Olympic Games on August 8, 2008, a survey by the Foreign Correspondents Club of China shows that Chinese authorities frequently detain foreign reporters, and occasionally use violence against them and their sources.

Since 2004 - the year in which the Olympic torch was handed to Beijing - the club has received reports of 72 incidents of harassment involving journalists from 15 countries. Police detained foreign journalists on at least 38 occasions, mostly while the media were covering stories related to social issues such as anti-pollution protests, land disputes, and the plight of AIDS victims. On 10 occasions reporters and their sources suffered physical harassment including a clubbing, punchings and strip searches. In 21 cases, notes and images were destroyed.

“China’s controls on foreign media are not in keeping with Beijing’s commitment to the International Olympic Committee to allow free coverage, and are an affront to the Olympic spirit,” said FCCC President Melinda Liu. “We urge China to quickly adopt the practices of press freedom expected of Olympic hosts.”

Liu urged the Chinese government to permanently abolish rules that are interpreted to make the reporting of sensitive social issues an offence, and which also require foreign correspondents to get permission before making reporting trips outside of the cities where they are based.

These rules – particularly articles 14 and 15 of the regulations for foreign journalists - are the basis for the detentions of correspondents and the harassment of their sources and assistants. Such controls are contrary to the norms expected of Olympic hosts. In many other countries, Chinese journalists do not suffer such impositions.

In 2001, Beijing made a promise: “We will give the media complete freedom to report when they come to China,” said Wang Wei, secretary-general of the Beijing Olympic Games bid committee. “We are confident that the Games coming to China not only promotes our economy but also enhances all social conditions, including education, health, and human rights.”

The FCCC calls on China to honor that promise. In trade, investment and many other areas, China has benefited from greater openness and the adoption of international standards. The same can be true in the area of media reform. In recent years, there have been some improvements – for example the relaxation of rules about where correspondents live and whom they hire – but the problem of harrassement and obstruction continues. Time is running out before the Olympics. The number of journalists visiting China will be double that of athletes in 2008. The FCCC hopes they will receive as warm a welcome. We would strongly welcome more dialogue with the authorities to ensure that a more open media environment will be one of the lasting legacies of the Games.