Governments told to be more forthcoming

The central and local governments will be more open to providing information to help the international community better understand China, a senior official said on Monday.

Jiang Jianguo, minister of the State Council Information Office, said that governments at different levels should tell stories about China with confidence, and tell the world their disadvantages frankly.

“We should be open-minded to talk about our disadvantages calmly and conflicts with other countries frankly,” said Jiang. “We should not avoid talking about hot-button issues either.”

Jiang noted that the governments should find new angles to tell stories about China to foreign countries in ways that they can better understand.

“We will be confident to introduce to the world Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era,” said Jiang. “We will be confident to explain to the world that China’s rich practice of governing the country has provided Chinese wisdom and Chinese methods for global governance.”

Publicity officials and media professionals from across the country gathered in Hefei, Anhui province, on Monday to discuss new ways the governments should release information to the international community.

Tang Shifen, a director with Shanghai’s publicity department, said the local government will find good cultural exchange programs and cooperate more with foreign media to better tell stories about China.

“Sometimes it’s hard for our culture to ‘go outside’ to communicate with foreign countries,” she said. “Different cultures should communicate more frequently to enhance friendship between peoples. The local government will give plenty of financial support for cultural communication programs.”

Tian Huqing, deputy director of the publicity office of Yunnan province, said that the local government will hold many cultural exchange activities with countries near the province, such as Nepal, Myanmar and India.

“We have and will invite foreign students to visit a Tibetan autonomous prefecture in the province,” he said.