China has extended rules that gave foreign reporters greater freedom during the Beijing Olympics.
State news agency Xinhua said the temporary arrangement for the games, due to expire on Friday, would become standard practice.
It means journalists can continue to conduct interviews without applying to the authorities for permission.
Critics say the rules, part of efforts to open China up to the world, did not stop harassment and intimidation.
Restrictions remain
Despite repeated questions from foreign journalists about the issue, China has not until now said what would happen after the rules expire.
China introduced the rules in January last year for foreign journalists who wanted to report on Olympic-related issues.
They allow correspondents to travel around China without first getting permission from the authorities - as they had to do previously.
"To interview organisations or individuals in China, foreign journalists need only to obtain their prior consent," the regulations state.
In practice foreign reporters have had more freedom to do their work, but have not been completely left alone by the authorities, says the BBC's Michael Bristow in Beijing.
Certain sensitive areas, such as Tibet, were off limits, and correspondents have continued to be detained by the authorities.
Also these regulations do not apply to Chinese journalists, who face a high degree of control and censorship by the Chinese government.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-p ... 675306.stm
