Service Guide for Foreign Media Coverage of the Beijing Olympic Games and the Preparatory Period Beijing Organizing Committee For the Games of the XXIX Olympiad Service Guide for Foreign Media Coverage of the Beijing Olympic Games and the Preparatory Period Preface Liu Qi, President of BOCOG The media have the purpose of getting people more up-to-date. Media and communications provide the common factors for human beings to be united and cohesive, so as to make the world a better place. In the modern Olympic Games, the media from all countries and regions of the world have played an important role in promoting and popularizing the Olympic ideal and spirit and truly reflecting the magnificence of the Olympic Games. In this way, the media have made an outstanding contribution to enable people all over the world to share the values of the Olympic Movement. Beijing, China will host the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in August 2008. Since China is a developing country with an ancient civilization, the staging of the Olympic Games has attracted world-wide attention and provides a golden opportunity for the media to display their talents. The obligation to provide the best possible working and living conditions for the media and all Olympic participants is an important task for the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG), a solemn commitment by the Chinese Government and an integral part of staging a high-level Olympic Games with distinguishing features. I Service Guide for Foreign Media Coverage of the Beijing Olympic Games and the Preparatory Period In his opening address to Sport Accord on 24 April 2007 Premier Wen Jiabao promised that in the spirit of "One World, One Dream", the government will provide services of an Olympic standard to athletes, officials, spectators and the media in order to facilitate their participation and enjoyment of the Games. The freedom of foreign journalists in their news coverage will also be ensured. With the strong support of the relevant Chinese government departments and professional institutions, BOCOG has produced Chinese and English versions of the “Service Guide for Foreign Media Coverage of the Beijing Olympic Games and the Preparatory Period” as well as “Service Guide for Hong Kong/Macao Media Coverage of the Beijing Olympic Games and the Preparatory Period” and “Service Guide for Taiwan Media Coverage of the Beijing Olympic Games and the Preparatory Period”, which sets out policies, procedures and basic information for more than a dozen service areas, such as entry and exit, accommodation, transport, communications, insurance etc. As well as assisting the media, the Guide also provides a new opportunity for people all over the world to have a better understanding of the Beijing Olympic Games, and Beijing and China as a whole. As the Beijing Olympic Games approach, the government in China, at all II Service Guide for Foreign Media Coverage of the Beijing Olympic Games and the Preparatory Period levels, and BOCOG will follow Olympic practice and honour our commitments to provide high quality services to media organizations and journalists all over the world. We look forward to stronger interaction and cooperation between BOCOG and the media. Let’s join hands for the successful staging of the high-level Beijing Olympic Games. III Service Guide for Foreign Media Coverage of the Beijing Olympic Games and the Preparatory Period Content Introduction.......................................................................................................................................1 “One-Stop” Service for the Convenience to the Foreign Media .......................................................7 I. Implementation of the Regulations on Reporting Activities in China by Foreign Journalists during the Beijing Olympic Games and the Preparatory Period.....................................................14 II. Work Permit and Resident Permit ..............................................................................................22 III. Filming of Historical and Cultural Relics and Museums Collections.......................................23 IV. Interviews with Chinese Athletes for Olympic Sports ..............................................................26 V. Coverage of Public Emergency ..................................................................................................29 VI. Employment of Chinese Citizens to Assist in Reporting Activities..........................................30 VII. Leasing of Housing and Offices ..............................................................................................38 VIII. Customs Clearance.................................................................................................................42 IX. Temporary Import, Installation and use of Radio Transmission Equipment.............................47 X. Temporary Import, Mounting and Use of Ground Receiving Installations for Satellite Television Broadcasting..................................................................................................................53 XI. Temporary Import and Driving of Foreign Motor Vehicles......................................................56 XII. Application for a Temporary Driver Permit.............................................................................61 XIII. Taxes and Taxation Policies ...................................................................................................67 XIV. Insurance ................................................................................................................................71 XV. Opening of Temporary Bank Accounts....................................................................................73 XVI. Retail Policy Concerning Overseas Newspapers and Magazines ..........................................86 XVII. Foreign TV Programs ...........................................................................................................87 XVIII. Internet Access Policy .........................................................................................................88 Appendices......................................................................................................................................89 Appendix 1 Regulations on Reporting Activities in China by Foreign Journalists During the Beijing Olympic Games and the Preparatory Period ......................................................................89 Appendix 2 Customs Clearance Notice for Beijing Olympic Materials .........................................91 Appendix 3 Commitment Letter on Letter of Bank Guarantee of Temporarily Imported Goods...98 Appendix 4 Appendix of the Guide for Foreign Media Organizations Opening RMB Temporary Deposit Accounts during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and its Preparatory Period..............103 Appendix 5 Appendix of the Guide for Foreign Media Organizations Opening Olympic Temporary Foreign Exchange Account during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and its Preparatory Period ......................................................................................................................................................132 Appendix 6 List of Contact Information of Departments Concerned in the Guide ......................159 I Service Guide for Foreign Media Coverage of the Beijing Olympic Games and the Preparatory Period Introduction Hosting a high-level Olympic Games with distinguishing features is a solemn commitment China and Beijing have made to the international community. To help achieve that goal, the Chinese Government and the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) attach great importance to the need to provide high quality services to the media. Mr. Liu Qi, president of BOCOG, on behalf of the Chinese Government，has stressed and reiterated at the World Broadcaster Meeting and the World Press Briefing of the Beijing Olympic Games in 2006 that the Chinese Government will honour its commitments in the bid process, and the international contract obligations to host the Olympic Games to provide quality and convenient services to the media in accordance with international practice and the successful experience from previous Games, so as to satisfy the demands of the media covering the Olympic Games in China. The purpose of this “Service Guide for Foreign Media Coverage of the Beijing Olympic Games and the Preparatory Period” (hereinafter referred to as the Guide) is to provide a concise interpretation and explanation to the foreign media of the laws and policies related to their coverage of the Beijing Olympic Games and to provide handy information on policies 1 Service Guide for Foreign Media Coverage of the Beijing Olympic Games and the Preparatory Period and procedures. The Beijing Olympic Games in the Guide refers to both the Games of the XXIX Olympiad and the XIII Paralymic Games. The Guide covers more than a dozen items of common concern to the accredited media for the Beijing Olympic Games (the rights-holding broadcasters, the accredited written and photographic press) and the non-accredited media, which include visa application, customs clearance, interviews throughout China, hiring Chinese citizens, accommodation rental, radio frequency coordination, temporary driving permits, tax, insurance etc. The Guide provides a step by step explanation of the procedures concerned. Regarding issues requiring Government approval, the Guide describes how BOCOG will act as the contact point