Spokesmen reflect on a year in the spotlight

Beijing (China)—Call it a love-hate relationship. For Wang Xuming, spokesman of the Ministry of Education, and the reporters who cover his ministry, every day is fraught with tension.
Over the past two years, reporters have made Wang look by turns arrogant and stupid. But they swarm to his press conferences and regularly devote valuable column inches to his frank, humorous remarks. Reporters have even introduced Wang’s wry catchphrase “You reporters cannot be offended so I can only endure.” to people across the country. Wang tells China Daily how he feels about being a frequent source of controversy.
Q: How do you prepare for a press conference?
A: I have been a spokesman for nearly four years, but I still have to spend much time getting psychologically prepared before each press conference. To me, any press conference could turn out like a chapter from the millennium-old Legend of Three Kingdoms - the “battle of tongues against a group of scholars.” It demands great energy. Besides, I read a lot about the regulations and happenings in the educational sector. It will never happen that a reporter raises an issue and I am not familiar with it.
Q: Is a tough mind also one of the qualities needed, particularly when your name appears in some of the most-read stories on the Internet, or when netizens level bad words at you?
A: It depends on how you think of yourself. If you believe yourself to be the sage, you will definitely feel hurt. But if you think that you are nobody, or even worse, a “dead pig,” you will fear no attacks.
Q: Have you met any spokesmen at foreign organizations? How do you compare yourself with them?
A: I have been abroad many times and talked with a lot of spokesmen. But there is one that I have never met and have always respected. He is Saeed al-Sahaf, former spokesman for Saddam’s government. I love the scene of his staying and talking with reporters after the United States Army had captured Baghdad. Of all the spokesmen that I have met, I loved the one who worked for Kofi Annan at the United Nations. He gave me some really good advice. I still need to improve a lot if I want to become as good as the best of them in the future. As for my performance, I give myself a “Pass.”

—The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item