Sky's the limit for former Foreign Ministry spokespersons

(Ecns.cn)--The job of Foreign Ministry spokesperson in China has never been a lifelong position, yet the performances of these public figures at critical moments often leave us with lasting impressions. So where do these talents go after their terms of office run out? The Oriental Overlook unveils some of the mystery in its latest report.

Promotions appear to be the most common practice. Recent briefings from the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs show that on January 6, Qin Gang, once a famous spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, had been appointed Director-General of the Information Department.

After taking the position as the 22nd Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Qin became the public face of China by holding over 180 press conferences between 2005 and 2010.

He earned his popularity by uttering witty remarks and practicing superb communication skills.

At a press conference on March 31, 2009, Qin replied to a foreign correspondent's question about why China had blocked YouTube: "The Internet in China is fully open and the Chinese government manages the Internet according to the law. As for what you can and cannot watch, watch what you can watch, and don't watch what you cannot watch," posted C.A. Yeung, a prominent web user, on his blog.

Qin also liked to ask rhetorical questions while being challenged by reporters. On June 25, 2009, a foreign correspondent wanted to know whether it was China's new Internet control policy to block Google services, including Gmail. To this Qin replied, "Let me ask you this question first. Is there a post office in your district? Wouldn't it be more convenient to use postal services to send letters instead?"

In September 2010, Qin was named Envoy to the United Kingdom after his term of office expired, which indicated another possible job option for spokespersons preparing to move on.

Liu Jianchao, previously Qin's colleague, might provide another example. Currently Ambassador to the Philippines, he's a former chief spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the former director-general of its Information Department.

During his tenure as chief spokesman, Liu took questions on a wide variety of issues to do with China's relations with the world. The Xinhua News Agency commented that "Liu was known for his sedate and humorous style in briefing reporters on China's foreign affairs."

An example of this was his response to the shoe-throwing incident against former U.S. President George W. Bush in Baghdad in December 2008. He said that the incident had given him "pause for thought" and that "maybe I need to watch out not just for people raising their hands but also for people taking off their shoes。"

The spokesman later added that it was not a question he had prepared for, and that the answer had been "impromptu."

"News is a commodity that usually depreciates fast. You need to be faster to maintain its value," noted Liu, who never avoided answering sensitive questions raised by foreign journalists. "And you can never lie," he said.

Statistics show that since the Foreign Ministry began to hold press conferences in 1982, altogether 23 officials have served as its spokespeople. Some of them later became famous diplomats abroad, including Qian Qichen and Li Zhaoxing (former Foreign Ministers).

According to Zhao Qizheng, minister of the State Council Information Office, the news briefing system has become an important and authoritative channel for the public to keep up with China's developments and understand the government's political stance.

Crises such as the outbreak of SARS in 2003 and the Wenzhou high-speed rail crash have also given impetus to improvements in the system. "Basically, starting from 2003, governmental departments at various levels began to hold press conferences," said Zhao.

Yet the system in general is still far from mature. Wang Xuming, former spokesman for the Ministry of Education, analyzed that spokespersons in China are now mired in an embarrassing situation.

"For example, people always think that spokesmen should know everything and answer every question, so they throw stones at them for any sign of ignorance or if they are silent," he noted, adding that spokesmen are in fact authorized to perform limited duties.

Wang compared China's information disclosure system to that of Western countries, summarizing that in China, being a spokesperson is a duty, while in foreign countries it is a profession.

"Abroad, related qualifications are required to become a spokesperson, who will be praised for good performances and punished for mistakes. However, in China, there are no such occupational standards. I became a spokesperson mainly because it was the duty of a vice director of a department in the MOE, not because I was qualified. If I was transferred to another position, I would have had to quit as spokesperson," he said.

According to Zhou Qingan, a researcher at the International Communication Center of Tsinghua University, most Chinese government spokespersons are officials with no other career backgrounds.