Miami Herald: China's Jiang takes jab at press in Macau. FYI

Published Friday, December 22, 2000, in the Miami Herald

MACAU -- (AFP) -- President Jiang Zemin of China fired a parting shot Thursday at the media as he warned against press irresponsibility at the end of a three-day visit to Macau marked by tight security and the mass arrest of Falun Gong practitioners. The Chinese leader said press freedom did not mean the media could act irresponsibly.

``Both press freedom and social responsibility should be put in perspective,'' he told journalists covering his visit to mark the first anniversary of Macau's return to Chinese rule.

Jiang's remarks echoed an earlier swipe at the press when he said the media should not only value freedom of speech but have more respect for their social duties.

His criticism comes hard on the heels of an outburst against the Hong Kong media in October when he called them ``naive.''

Macau Chief Executive Edmund Ho said the former Portuguese colony had a free press but echoed Jiang's comments.

``In Macau we fully respect the freedom of speech and freedom of the press,'' he told reporters after the president had left.

But the media had ``ultimately to bear social responsibility,'' he said.

Security forces were put on full alert for Jiang's visit.

Celebration venues were sealed off by police and gunboats patrolled the waters around the peninsula, situated on China's south coast. Few residents even caught a glimpse of the president.