Hill & Knowlton, a US public relations consultancy, has been invited to give lectures on communication with the media during crises as part of a national training program for government spokespersons, sources with the State Council Information Office said Monday.

It is the first time that a foreign consulting firm has been invited to give lectures to China's government spokespersons at a national program run by the central government, said Wang Xingming, director of the training program. He added that experts from the firm would give lectures on Tuesday.

Aiming to handle its public image properly with a new generation of professionally trained spokespeople, the third five-day training program began on Monday. It is being attended by 84 spokespersons from the central and local governments.

State Council Information Office Deputy Director Wang Guoqing said at the opening ceremony that China's spokesperson system has begun to take shape but needs further improvement.

He pointed out that most Chinese spokespeople need professional training to improve their performance. The aim of the program is to improve their professional skills through lectures and practice, which will benefit administrative transparency and promote news releases.

The office held two similar programs providing training for 100 spokespersons from 66 central government departments and spokespersons from provincial-level governments last September and November.

Responses to the programs from attendees, the media and the public were good. Many departments that missed the programs called the office to participate in the third training program, said Wang Xingming.

The training program uses case studies and practical exercises. Senior government spokespersons and specialists from universities and the media will give lectures on news releases, public relations and language skills.

After the outbreak of SARS this spring, China's senior leaders have reiterated the importance of providing information about government affairs and increasing administrative transparency. This requires a comprehensive news release system with professionally trained spokespeople.

The government has realized that the timely release of major decisions, important events and breaking news helps to diminish rumor, which has sometimes triggered social unrest and chaos.

China's central government spokesperson system, spearheaded by Foreign Ministry spokespersons, has opened an important information channel for the public since it started in 1983. Spokespeople appear not only on diplomatic and other important political occasions, but also try to demonstrate a closer connection with the daily lives of ordinary citizens.

The local government system still lags behind that of the central government, but many provinces and big cities are making headway. 

Currently, Guangdong, Sichuan, Yunnan, Anhui, Fujian, Shandong, Henan and Jilin provinces as well as Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing municipalities have implemented spokesperson systems.

(Xinhua News Agency May 18, 2004)