The following is a partial translation prepared by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China of the Circular Regarding Promulgation of the "Provisions on the Administration of Radio, Film, and Television System's Local Foreign Affairs Work" issued by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television on July 6, 2005. The Chinese text was retrieved from the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television Web site on July 7, 2005.
Article 2: Radio, film, and television local foreign affairs work shall serve propaganda work, serve the country's general foreign diplomacy, and serve the development of our country's radio, film, and television industry.
Article 5: Provincial level radio, film, and television administration agencies shall designate one person as primarily responsible for foreign affairs work, establish necessary mechanisms for the administration of foreign affairs work, appoint a cadre who has good political quality, strong professional capabilities, a grasp of policy, and who strictly observes discipline to be responsible for foreign affairs work. Their foreign affairs work shall be subject to administration, guidance, and supervision by the local provincial level People's Government Foreign Affairs Office and the SARFT Foreign Affairs Department.
Article 7: Radio stations and television stations may not lease radio or television channels (frequencies) to foreign agencies, may not cooperate or jointly invest with foreign agencies in the operation of radio or television channels (frequencies), and may not jointly invest or cooperate with foreign agencies to start radio or television regular programs and radio and television live programs.
The introduction or broadcast of foreign television programs shall be implemented in accordance with the "Broadcast Administration Regulations on the Introduction of Foreign Television Programs" (SARFT Order No. 42).
Article 12: The foreign activities of local radio, film, and television program production operation agencies shall be uniformly administered by the provincial level radio, film, and television administration agencies.
Article 13: Provincial level radio, film, and television administration agencies and agencies under their jurisdiction shall not, as a general rule, organize inter-jurisdictional radio, film, and television representation groups to go abroad to conduct interviews. If it is absolutely necessary, it must be reported to SARFT for approval, and must undertake approval measures in accordance with relevant regulations.
Other inter-jurisdictional radio, film, and television representative groups from agencies or local groups who go abroad to conduct interviews shall first seek approval from SARFT. Provincial level radio, film, and television administration agencies, radio, film, and television groups (main stations), radio stations, television channels, and broadcast television stations may not send their staff to participate in inter-jurisdictional or inter-industry groups to travel abroad to conduct interviews without first having approval from a local People's Government Foreign Affairs Office with authority to examine and approve travel abroad.
Article 14: The provincial level People's government shall approve a responsible person from the provincial level radio, film, and television administration agency to lead radio, film, and television groups who go abroad to conduct interviews, and their identity shall be recorded with SARFT.
Article 15: Employees of work units under the provincial level radio, film, and television administration agencies or groups (central stations) who are assigned to go abroad to conduct interviews or produce radio or television programs shall, if the material for the program is considered important, sensitive, or on a major subject shall, after being reported by the responsible provincial level radio, film, and television administration agency to the local provincial level People's Government Foreign Affairs Office for approval, be reported to SARFT for approval and, when necessary, be reported to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for examination and approval.
If local radio, film, and television agencies travel abroad to interview international organizations, they must request approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the local provincial level People's Government Foreign Affairs Office or the SARFT Foreign Affairs Department.
Article 16: Any provincial level radio station or television station that invites a foreign ambassador or foreign provincial or ministerial level official to come to their radio station or television station to make a speech or participate in the recording of a program or a live broadcast shall, after being reported by the provincial level radio, film, and television administration agency to the local provincial level People's Government Foreign Affairs Office for examination and verification, be reported to SARFT for approval and, when necessary, be reported to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for examination and approval. Invitations to other foreign personnel to participate in the aforementioned activities shall be reported by the provincial level radio, film, and television administration agency to the local provincial level People's Government Foreign Affairs Office for examination and approval.
Article 17: Any provincial level radio, film, and television administration agency, provincial level radio, film, and television administration agencies or groups (central stations), provincial level radio station, or television station that invites responsible personnel from a foreign radio station or television station to lead a group to visit China to conduct friendly interviews or hold industry trade talks shall, after having reported to the provincial level radio, film, and television administration agency for examination and verification, report to the local provincial level People's Government Foreign Affairs Office for examination and approval, and record this with SARFT.
Article 18: Applications for foreign radio and television journalists and other personnel engaged in film and television who come to our country temporarily to conduct interviews shall, after SARFT has received, examined, and verified them, be reported by SARFT to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for examination and approval.
If radio or television interviews are only to be carried out in Guangdong or Shanghai, they shall be reported to the local provincial level People's Government Foreign Affairs Office for examination and approval, and recorded with SARFT.
