China will improve the disclosing of government, party affairs through the spokesperson system, said Wang Chen, head of China's State Council Information Office Thursday.

Greater efforts will be made to regularize information released by government agencies and organs of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and improve the professional level of their spokespersons, Wang said, at a press conference here.

According to Wang, China's spokesperson system covers nearly 90 government departments and institutions including those under the State Council, or China's cabinet, the National People's Congress, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the Supreme People's Court, and the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

The system also covers provincial-level governments.

The CPC has set up a similar system to cover its central and provincial-level organs.

While praising the important role of the spokesperson system, Wang also admitted a few officials failed to disclose news without delay or glossed up news regarding "mass incidents."

Answering a question from a foreign journalist, Wang said China will always do its best to support foreign journalists in their news reporting.

Still, he said, there have been cases that media inquires or interview requests could not be handled quickly due to personnel shortages and tight working schedules at the related government agencies.

Wang urged the media to have confidence in China's spokesperson system, adding that better communication was needed between the authorities and the media.

(Xinhua News Agency December 31 2010)