Covering Visits to China by State Leaders of Journalists' Home Countries or of Third Countries

2009/02/20

i. Covering Official Talks and Meetings

1. Official talks and meetings can only be covered by the POOL. The POOL which covers the events in East Hall, Xinjiang Hall and Fujian Hall of the Great Hall of the People (GHP) is composed of 6 journalists, and that covering the events in Zhongnanhai and Diaoyutai State Guest House is composed of 2 journalists. The video footages and photos garnered by the POOL should be shared with other permanent offices of foreign media organizations in Beijing. The position of coordinator of the Third Countries' Pool should rotate.

2. Registration: The coordinator of the Third Countries' Pool is in charge of the registration. The name list of journalists and vehicle license plate numbers should be forwarded in written form to the Information Department ahead of the visit.

3. Press Credentials: the Information Department issues to the POOL the Pool Cards and special vehicle passes, which should be distributed by the POOL coordinator.

4. Security Check: Journalists from the POOL should undergo security check at the designated venue 45 minutes in advance of each event. For every event, the POOL coordinator should confirm with the official-in-charge of the Information Department the venue of security check.

ii. Covering the Welcoming Ceremony at the Great Hall of the People

1. Registration

1) If the number of journalists with the visiting delegation does not exceed 40, the indoor and outdoor welcoming ceremony will be open to all the cameramen, photographers and print reporters of the permanent offices of foreign media organizations based in Beijing. After the Foreign Ministry spokesperson releases the news about the visit by foreign dignitary to China, a notification will be posted on the IPC website (http://ipc.fmprc.gov.cn) for the registration of the permanent offices of foreign media organizations to cover the event. Each permanent office may register with the Information Department for 2 TV cameramen or 1 photographer or 1 print reporter at maximum in a written form.

2) If the number of journalists with the visiting delegation exceeds 40, the number of cameramen and photographers of the permanent offices of foreign media organizations based in Beijing covering the welcoming ceremony will be limited to 20 (including 6 from the POOL). Each permanent office may register with the Information Department for 2 TV cameramen or 1 photographer or 1 print reporter at maximum in a written form. The first 20 journalists (including 6 from the POOL), whom will be informed by the Information Department, are allowed to participate.

3) The registration process ends 3 working days before the visit or the date designated. Foreign media could pick up the vehicle passes at IPC 2 days before the visit.

4) For some special visits, which have much larger number of journalists with the incoming delegation and specific requirements are raised by the Security Authorities, there could be special arrangement on an ad hoc basis.

2. Press credentials

Journalists covering the welcoming ceremony should present at the security check venue the Pool Cards issued by the Information Department, or Press Card (R) issued by IPC. The Chinese assistants working for the permanent offices of foreign media organizations should present the Employees Cards or Passes issued by the Beijing Service Bureau for Diplomatic Missions (DSB).

3. Arrangements in details

1) Outdoor welcoming ceremony

The journalists concerned should undergo security check 45 minutes in advance of the event at the North Gate of the GHP, presenting their Press Credentials (If the venue for security check changes, the journalists will be informed beforehand).

After security check, the Chinese staff members will guide the journalists through the GHP to the designated area on the square outside the East Gate.

Journalists covering the welcoming ceremony only should wait for a while after the ceremony and proceed along the square outside the East Gate to the North Gate and depart.

Journalists from the POOL covering the talks and meetings afterwards shall enter through the East Gate into the GHP and wait at the designated area. They should depart from the North Gate after covering the event.

2) Indoor welcoming ceremony

The journalists concerned should undergo security check 45 minutes in advance of the event at the North Gate of the GHP, presenting their Press Credentials. (If the venue of security check changes, the journalists will be informed beforehand).

The Chinese staff members will guide the journalists to the designated area.

Journalists covering the welcoming ceremony only should wait for a while after the end of the ceremony and then depart from the North Gate of the GHP.

Journalists from the POOL covering the talks and meetings will be guided by the Chinese staff members to the designated area and wait. They should depart from the North Gate after the covering.

iii. Covering the Meeting with the Media by Chinese and Visiting Foreign Dignitaries

1. Number of journalists

If the meeting is held in the Hebei Hall of the GHP, 15 resident foreign journalists based in Beijing (including 6 from POOL) may participate. If the event is held in the West Hall of the GHP, 50 resident foreign journalists based in Beijing (including 6 from POOL) may participate.

2. Registration

After the Foreign Ministry spokesperson releases the news about the visit by foreign dignitary to China, a notification will be posted on the IPC website for the registration of the permanent offices of foreign media organizations to cover the event.

Each permanent office may register with the Information Department for 2 TV cameramen or 1 photographer or1 print reporter at maximum in a written form. The first 15 journalists (including 6 from POOL) or the first 50 journalists (including 6 from POOL) according to the order of registration, whom will be informed by the Information Department, are allowed to participate. The registration ends 3 working days before the visit or at a designated date. Foreign media could pick up the Pool Cards and vehicle passes 2 days before the visit at IPC.

3. Press credentials

Journalists covering the meeting of the Chinese and foreign dignitaries with the media should present at the security check venue the Pool Cards issued by the Information Department, or Press Card (R), issued by IPC. The Chinese assistants working for the permanent offices of foreign media organizations should present the Employees Cards or Passes issued by the DSB.

4. Security check

Journalists concerned should undergo security check 45 minutes in advance of the event at the North Gate of the GHP (If the venue of security check changes, the journalists will be informed beforehand). After security check, the Chinese staff members will guide the journalists to the designated area.

5. If the Chinese and foreign dignitaries do not meet the media either in the Hebei Hall or in the West Hall of the GHP, journalists will be informed by the Information Department of the detailed arrangements beforehand.

iv. Covering the Arrival of the Special Airplane of Visiting Foreign Dignitaries

1. Opening range

It is open to all the cameramen and photographers of the permanent offices of foreign media organizations based in Beijing to cover the arrival of the special plane of visiting foreign dignitaries and the greeting ceremony of the Chinese guards of honor.

2. Registration

Each permanent office may register with the Information Department for 2 TV cameramen or 1 photographer or 1 print reporter at maximum in a written form. The registration ends 3 working days before the visit or at a designated date.

3. Security check

The journalists covering the event should undergo security check 45 minutes in advance of the event at the designated venue, presenting the Pool Cards issued by the Information Department or the Press Card (R) issued by IPC. The Chinese assistants working for the permanent offices of foreign media organizations should present the Employees Cards or Passes issued by the DSB. After security check, the Chinese staff members will guide the journalists to the designated area to cover the event.

v. On-the-spot Management

To ensure the order of the function areas, the journalists should follow the instructions of the Chinese staff.

vi. Service

In the GHP, Rest Area (usually the passage between the west side of the Hebei Hall and the east side of the staircases) will be set up for the journalists who cover talks and meetings in the GHP.

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