The initiative to quickly release information about the deadly Xinjiang riots to media highlighted the local government's efforts to be transparent, officials said Tuesday.
"Let the facts speak for themselves. We will conduct press conferences as soon as we receive the latest information on the situation," said Li Wanhui, an official with the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous regional government.
Chinese officials point to the televised public speech given by Nur Bekri, chairman of the regional government, a day after the Sunday riot as evidence of the government's open measures. A press conference, they also point out, was held on Monday to give the latest figures on the death toll.
A news center for domestic and foreign media was set up the night of the violence.
Media experts in China say the State's endeavor to facilitate reporting of the clash signaled a marked improvement to the tardy response to the bloody March 14 riots in Lhasa, Tibet, last year. Eighteen were killed and 623 injured during the Lhasa violence.
"(The State) seized the initiatives in releasing information to reporters home and abroad about what's going on," said Yu Guoming, vice-dean of the Renmin University School of Journalism, who is also head of the university's Public Opinion Research Institute.
"This is in stark contrast to the reports during last year's March 14 Lhasa riot."
The first news of the Xinjiang riots were released by Xinhua News Agency, an official news outlet, approximately half an hour past 9 pm, about an hour after the protest staged by Uygurs broke out on Sunday night.
After the Lhasa unrest, on the other hand, the first press conference was not held until March 17, three days after the clash. Due to safety concerns, foreigners were forbidden from entering Lhasa after March 14. Not until March 26 did the Information Office of the State Council arrange a three-day trip for an international media delegation, made up of 26 journalists from 19 foreign media outlets.
"Domestic and foreign media had access to the scene shortly after the (Xinjiang) riot, helping squash speculation and rumor. The more freedom in reporting, the closer news gets to the facts," Yu told China Daily.
(China Daily July 8, 2009)