Xinhua quotes China scholars to defend media rules

BEIJING, Sep 18 (Reuters) Chinese scholars defended new regulations governing foreign news agencies in China today, saying they safeguard the country's interests and will not lead to a monopoly for the state news agency, Xinhua.

In comments carried on Xinhua itself, journalism professors at the country's top universities said the rules, which require foreign media to seek Xinhua's approval to distribute news, pictures and graphics within China, would promote ''healthy news and information and orderly communication''.

Xinhua represents the ''national rights and interests of China'', said Qin Zhaode of Fudan University in Shanghai.

''In order to safeguard China's rights and interests, it is very normal that the government issue these methods, clearly authorising Xinhua with these relevant functions,'' Qin was quoted as saying.

The rules, which also seek to bar financial information companies, including Reuters and Bloomberg, from selling services directly to Chinese banks and brokerages, have been denounced by international rights groups as an attack on media freedom.

The foreign minister of Finland, which holds the EU presidency, has also suggested the curbs might be aimed at securing Xinhua's position in China's multi-million-dollar financial information market.

But the Chinese scholars joined government officials and Xinhua itself in saying they would not give the official state agency unfair dominance.

''The regulations will not create a Xinhua monopoly,'' said Li Xiguang, deputy head of the journalism school at Beijing's Tsinghua University.

''To the contrary, this will prompt Xinhua's own reporting to contain more information and strengthen its news value and timeliness, and will broaden and deepen the field of reporting,'' he said.

The rules, announced on September 10, empower Xinhua to censor reports distributed in China by foreign media and to delete content that it deems a threat to national security or a violation of the principles of China's constitution.

The rules were effective immediately, but their wording is vague and it remains unclear how exactly they will be implemented. Xinhua has yet to respond to a faxed request for an interview to clarify the regulations.

REUTERS PB SSC1323