Foreign Correspondents Club of China: Tibet is off limits all the time

April 16, 2009 Dharamsala: At the end of the March and beginning of this month, Chinese government invited few foreign journalists from neighbouring countries.

According to a report published by those reporters, China's state-sponsored media tour has proved that Beijing's purpose of the tour has been fulfilled.

USA today published an article today on "China after the Olympics", in which Jonathan Watts, president of the Foreign Correspondents Club of China, said China's relaxed restrictions on foreign reporters should not be mistaken as an indication that China has an open media environment. He cites the example of foreign reporters being denied access to Tibetan areas outside Tibet, while "Tibet is off limits all the time."

Internet sites that were briefly unblocked during the Games, such as Amnesty International, have been blocked again, Watts says.

The situation for Chinese reporters has not changed either. "They are obliged to self-censor to avoid repercussions from the (Communist Party) propaganda department and receive instructions on what stories they are forbidden from covering," Watt adds.

"Through strict control on telephone, internet and cellular services China tries to block the flow of information to the outside world. Yet, stories of brutalities, protests and arrests reach the outside world through undisclosed channels. It is difficult to obtain information and verify them." Association of Tibetan Journalists recently said in a press release.

The ATJ also called on the government of the People's Republic of China to allow independent journalists to visit Tibet and to release all the fellow journalists arrested in China.