China Defends Databases on Foreign Journalists

A media official for Beijing's Olympic organizing committee, Li Zhanjun, told reporters Tuesday that the database was not created to monitor or threaten journalists.

Li also said it was not a blacklist and stressed that coverage at the Games would be open and transparent.

Meanwhile, Chinese officials denied state-run media reports Monday that the government had created a database of some 30,000 accredited Olympic Games reporters.

A report on Monday quoted China's top media official, Liu Binjie the minister of the General Administration of Press and Publication, as saying the list was made to help clamp down on "fake reporters" and unlicensed publications. - VOA News