Regulation of the People's Republic of China on News Coverage by Resident Offices of Foreign News Agencies and Foreign Correspondents

Article 1 This Regulation is formulated to facilitate the news coverage by resident offices of foreign news agencies and foreign correspondents within the territory of the People's Republic of China and promote the international exchange and information transmission.

Article 2 The term "resident office of a foreign news agency" (hereinafter referred to as the "resident office") as used in this Regulation refers to the branch of a foreign news agency established within China for news coverage.

The "foreign correspondents" as used in this Regulation includes resident foreign correspondents and foreign correspondents for short-term news coverage. The term "resident foreign correspondent"  refers to a professional correspondent who is dispatched by a foreign news agency to China and resides in China for more than 6 months for news coverage. The term "short-term coverage foreign correspondent" refers to a professional correspondent who stays in China for not more than 6 months for news coverage.

Article 3 China implements the basic national policy of opening up to the outside world, protects the legitimate rights and interests of resident offices of foreign news agencies and foreign correspondents according to law, and provides conveniences for their news coverage business according to law.

Article 4 A resident office or a foreign correspondent shall abide by Chinese laws, regulations and rules, follow the professional ethics of correspondents, be objective and impartial in the news coverage, and shall not be engaged in any activity which is inconsistent with its nature as a resident office or his identity as a correspondent.

Article 5 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as the "MFA" ) shall take charge of the affairs related to resident offices and foreign correspondents. The Information Office and other departments of the State Council shall, within their respective scopes of functions, be responsible for the affairs related to resident offices and foreign correspondents.

The foreign affairs department of a local people's government shall, upon authorization of the MFA, handle the affairs related to resident offices and foreign correspondents within its own administrative area. The information office and other departments of the local people's government shall, within their respective scopes of functions, be responsible for the affairs related to resident offices and foreign correspondents within that administrative area.

Article 6 To establish a resident office within China or dispatch a resident correspondent to China, a foreign news agency shall obtain the approval of the MFA.

Article 7 To apply for establishing a resident office within China, a foreign news agency shall, directly or via the Chinese embassy or consulate based abroad, submit the following materials to the MFA:

1. a written application signed by the major person-in-charge of the headquarters of this news agency;

2. the information about this news agency;

3. the information about the person in charge of the resident office to be established, resident correspondents to be dispatched to China and other staff members; and

4. the duplicate of certificate on the formation of this news agency in its home country.

Article 8 Where an application for establishing a resident office within China is approved, the person-in-charge of the resident office shall, upon the strength of his own passport, go through the formalities for a resident office certificate in the MFA within 7 working days after arriving in China. For a resident office stationed in a region other than Beijing, its person-in-charge shall, upon the strength of his own passport, go through the formalities for a resident office certificate in the foreign affairs department of the local people's government as authorized by the MFA within 7 working days after arriving in China.

Article 9 To apply for dispatching a resident foreign correspondent to China, a foreign news agency shall, directly or via the Chinese embassy or consulate based abroad, submit the following materials to the MFA:

1. a written application signed by the person-in-charge of the headquarters of this news agency;

2. the information about the correspondent to be dispatched to China; and

3. the duplicate of certificate on the profession of the said correspondent in his home country.

In case of one resident correspondent to be dispatched by two or more foreign news agencies, these agencies shall submit separate applications according to the provisions of the preceding paragraph and indicate in their respective applications the foreign news agencies dispatching concurrently the said correspondent.

Article 10 After an application for dispatching a resident foreign correspondent to China is approved, the dispatched foreign correspondent shall, upon the strength of his own passport, go through the formalities for a certificate of resident foreign correspondent within 7 working days after arriving in China. A resident foreign correspondent dispatched to a region other than Beijing shall, upon the strength of his own passport, go through the formalities for a certificate of resident foreign correspondent in the foreign affairs department of the local people's government as authorized by the MFA within 7 working days after arriving in China.

After having finished the formalities for a certificate of resident foreign correspondent, a resident foreign correspondent shall go through the formalities for a residence permit in the public security organ of the place where he resides.

Article 11 Where a resident office intends to change its name, region of residence, etc., it shall submit a written application to the MFA and shall, upon approval, go through the modification formalities.

Where a resident office changes its person-in-charge, office address, etc., it shall give a written notification to the MFA within 7 working days after the change. Where a resident office stationed in a region other than Beijing changes its person-in-charge, office address, etc., it shall, within 7 working days after the change, give a written notification to the foreign affairs department of the local people's government as authorized by the MFA.

Article 12 Where it is necessary to extend the term of validity of a certificate of resident foreign correspondent at the expiration of the said certificate, the resident foreign correspondent shall file an extension application with the MFA or the foreign affairs department of the local people's government as authorized by the MFA before the said certificate expires. If he fails to do so, he shall be deemed to have given up his qualification for a resident foreign correspondent, and his certificate of resident foreign correspondent shall be cancelled.

Article 13 Where a resident office plans to terminate its business, it shall inform the MFA at least 30 days prior to the termination of business, and shall, within 7 working days after the termination of business, go through the formalities for cancellation of resident office certificate and certificate of resident foreign correspondent in the MFA or the foreign affairs department of the local people's government as authorized by the MFA.

Where a resident office has no resident foreign correspondent for 10 months or longer consecutively, it shall be deemed to have automatically terminated the business and its resident office certificate shall be cancelled.

Where a resident foreign resident resides in China for less than 6 months a year in accumulation, his certificate of resident foreign correspondent shall be cancelled.

A resident office shall, before a resident foreign correspondent leaves his post, go through the formalities for cancellation of his certificate of resident foreign correspondent in the MFA or the foreign affairs department of the local people's government as authorized by the MFA.

Article 14 A public announcement shall be made after a resident office certificate or certificate of resident foreign correspondent is cancelled.

For a correspondent whose certificate of resident foreign correspondent has been cancelled, his correspondent visa shall be automatically invalidated after 10 days as of the date of cancellation of the said certificate.

For a correspondent whose certificate of resident foreign correspondent has been cancelled, he shall, within 10 days as of the date of cancellation of the said certificate and upon the strength of relevant certificates, apply to the public security organ of the place where he resides for modifying the registration of his visa or residence permit.

Article 15 To become a resident foreign correspondent or carry out short-term coverage, a foreign correspondent shall apply to the Chinese embassy or consulate based abroad or the visa office authorized by the MFA for a correspondent visa.

Article 16 Where a foreign correspondent accompanies the chief of state, the head of government, the parliament president, a royal member or a senior government official to visit China, an application for correspondent visa shall be submitted uniformly by the ministry of foreign affairs or relevant authority of that country to the Chinese embassy or consulate in that country or a visa office authorized by the MFA.

Article 17 To carry out news coverage in China, a foreign correspondent shall obtain the consent of the entity or individual to be covered.

A foreign correspondent shall carry and show his certificate of resident foreign correspondent or short-term coverage correspondent visa when carrying out news coverage.

Article 18 A resident office or foreign correspondent may, through an entity providing services to foreigners, hire Chinese citizens to do auxiliary work. The entity providing services to foreigners shall be designated by the MFA or by the foreign affairs department of the local people's government as authorized by the MFA.

Article 19 A resident office or foreign correspondent may temporarily import, install and use radio communication equipment necessary for news coverage after completing the required approval procedures.

Article 20 Where a foreigner carries out news coverage in China without a certificate of resident foreign correspondent or short-term coverage correspondent visa or without a valid one, the public security organ shall order him to stop the news coverage and deal with him according to the relevant law.

Article 21 Where a resident office or foreign correspondent violates this Regulation, the MFA shall give it/him a warning or order it/him to suspend or terminate its/his business activities. If the case is serious, the MFA shall revoke its/his resident office certificate, certificate of resident foreign correspondent or correspondent visa.

Article 22 Where a resident office or foreign correspondent violates any of other Chinese laws, regulations and rules, it/he shall be dealt with according to law. If the case is serious, the MFA shall revoke its/his resident office certificate, certificate of resident foreign correspondent or correspondent visa.

Article 23 This Regulation shall come into force as of October 17, 2008.The Regulation on the Administration of Foreign Correspondents and Resident Offices of Foreign News Agenciespromulgated by the State Council on January 19, 1990 shall be abolished simultaneously.

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(All information in this document is authentic in Chinese. English is provided for reference only. In case of any discrepancy, the Chinese version shall prevail.)