Liberal Democrats at Essex County Council are demanding that the Chinese government is pressured over the lack of media freedom currently allowed in China and it also has concerns about the 30,000 foreign journalists who will be in China to report on the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The group is urging the county’s administration to use its links with Jiangsu Province in China to press for increased freedom of expression in the Chinese media.

Cllr Mike Mackrory, Liberal Democrats deputy leader said: “We know from recent reports from China that the new Olympic regulations introduced by the Chinese government giving expanded freedoms to foreign journalists, has considerably improved the situation for foreign correspondents working in the country. However, these regulations are temporary* and they do not apply to domestic journalists; we would like to see these regulations as a permanent part of Chinese law with the same freedoms extended to domestic journalists.

“No doubt the Chinese authorities will be hoping to use foreign journalists to showcase the country’s achievements to the world during the Beijing Olympics. We believe that media freedom is a two-way street and we would expect China’s government to accept some responsibility in ensuring that both foreign and domestic journalists, are given the freedom to report on all aspects of life in China without obstruction”, Cllr Mackrory continued.

The Liberal Democrats group has submitted a motion to be debated by the council next week.