Freedom of the Press???

You never know how much stock you can put into such statements, just ask Zhao Yan, but today's decree signed by President Wen JiaBao is progress no matter how you flip it. The decree details the regulations on foreign journalists during the 2008 Summer Olympics and the preparatory period, and gives foreign journalists the ability to travel and report more freely across the country. Well...everywhere but Tibet (Xizang in Chinese) and the ethnically diverse Northwest region of XinJiang.

Currently, restrictions are fairly tight, as foreign reporters need government permission to report outside their home base - usually Beijing or Shanghai. The new rules, however, only require the consent of the person(s) they are interviewing. The Chinese government made big promises to the International Olympic Committee concerning human rights when they made their pitch for the 2008 games, and this is the first major step taken showing they might deliver on it. Let's hope for some unblocked sites in the future...

Read the full text of the new regulations, which will be in effect from Jan. 1st, 2007 to Oct. 17, 2008 here.