China opening up?

It's not letting UNHCR in or admitting that North Korean "migrants" are actually refugees, but this, reported in the LA Times, gives reason to hope that China is moving in the right direction. First, a few quotes:

Unfortunately for Chinese censors, a more three-dimensional view of the news is increasingly just a click away. A few terms entered into one of China's Internet search engines quickly reveal reports on food inspection shortfalls, official complicity in mining accidents, questionable nuclear standards, even comments on the party's penchant for nearly identical happy-talk front pages.

...


In recent weeks, however, some Chinese officials are starting to do a better job reassuring the public at home and abroad by following a few cardinal rules: Admit mistakes, accept responsibility, minimize cover-ups and outline a concrete response.

...

But China also is working to reverse a tradition of secrecy, said Steven Dong, a professor of political communication and public relations at Tsinghua University, driven in part by its rising global stature and the reality of the Internet.

In the past, when the Propaganda Ministry didn't like something posted on a website, it would call the hosting service and get it pulled. Now, a story running on a major Chinese website is likely to be picked up by as many as 437 Chinese websites within five minutes, Dong said.

"Now they would need to call 438 people," he said. "It would never happen."

So, what does this mean? First, it suggests that China may be becoming more image-conscious in light of the upcoming 2008 Olympics. This could be a good thing, if it forces China to deal with its problems, which of course include its abominable record toward North Korean refugees. On the other hand, if China feels that it can escape international reprobation by continuing to simply deny certain issues, then it may continue to do so, especially in light of how it has dealt with missionaries, another group that China does not want interfering with the Olympics.

All in all, this could be a step in the right direction if it shows a true change in China's coverup-prone attitude. However, if this is merely a step to deal with a populace made restless by natural disasters, the international community is going to have to put more pressure on China before things change.