A Chinese official with the Information Office of the State Council said the office had helped the outside world better understand China's response to the global financial crisis through a series of press conferences it had organized.

Minister Wang Chen recepted interviews from media at SCIO New Year's Reception at December 16, 2008. [File photo]

The office had organized news conferences since October last year in a timely and comprehensive manner to explain the government's measures and achievements in dealing with the financial crisis and in ensuring steady and relatively fast economic growth, the official said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

The official quoted a foreign correspondent as describing the press conferences as "informative, high-profile and timely" and saying that they offered many valuable opportunities for interviews.

The office plans to arrange more press conferences before China's annual legislative session in early March to give foreign media more opportunity to know about China's latest measures and progress in dealing with the financial crisis, said the official, who added that officials from China's major decision-making departments would be invited.

These departments include the National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Commerce, State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, State Administration of Taxation, China Banking Regulatory Commission, China Insurance Regulatory Commission, and State Administration of Foreign Exchange.

He said all foreign journalists stationed in Beijing are welcome to attend the events.

On reported plans to expand the global reach of China's media, the official said the country will try to build up its communication capacity on the basis of successful reports on the Beijing Olympic Games, May 12 earthquake relief and safeguarding social stability in Tibet, in line with the country's international status and the current level of the nation's social and economic development, and in light of the new circumstance that China-world relations had undergone profound changes.

Such efforts aim to better explain the real and developing China, and help the international community understand that China intends to achieve peaceful and harmonious development on the basis of cooperation.

China's media can help the world increase the understanding of China, enhance the nation's understanding of the world, and boost the exchanges and cooperation between China and other countries, so that they work together to build a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity, the official said.

The official stressed that the plan to increase the nation's communication capacity is still subject to further research.

China will act practically and according to its ability when implementing the plan, the official said, adding that recent media reports about the government's "plan" to invest 45 billion yuan (6.58 billion U.S. dollars) for its media's global expansion were "purely hype" and "groundless."

(Xinhua News Agency February 9, 2009)