China鈥檚quostatusfornewsmedia鈥檚reportingrightsarefarbeyondsatisfaction,despitethecomedicendingforjournalistQiuZiming,whosenamewasonceonawantedlistbypoliceauthoritiesforwritingaboutallegedinsidertradingatastate-runcompany,butcrossedduetopublicpressureinlateJuly.Forsafeguardingcitizens鈥rightsoffreeexpressionandpublication,anindependentandimpartiallegalsystemisvital. 　　ByWangJianxun,AssociateProfessorinChinaUniversityofPoliticalScienceandLaw 　　ThefertilesoilsintowhichtheterrorplantedinthenewsindustryarenotchangedtogetherwithQiuZiming鈥檚freedomamiduproar. 　　Despitethedramaticclosureofthecase,concernsoverjournalists鈥freedomandrightsaremounting,catchingeyesfromthepublic,especiallyinthemediaindustry. 　　Describedasatemporaryvictoryforjournalisminacertainsensebythepublic,Mr.Qiu鈥檚freedomalsomarksastepofgrowingupforthemediaindustry,theso-called鈥渢hefourthestate.鈥滭br/>Sincethedisclosureofthenewsonsinatwitteron28July,itappearsinallkindsofmedia,discussedandcommentedbythepublic,includingMr.Qiu鈥檚employertheEconomicObserver,whoissuedastatementonitswebsite,sayingthenewspaperis鈥渃ommittedtousingalllegalmeanstodefendthelegitimaterightsofthemediaandjournaliststoconductinterviewsandengageinreporting,inordertojointlymaintainthehealthysupervisionofthepublicsphere.鈥滭br/>Underthepressureofpublicoutcry,localpolicerescindedthedetentionorderonJuly29andmadeanapologytoMr.Qiuthenextday. 　　Itisgratifyingtonotethatamidtheuproars,China鈥檚journalismisgainingstrengthandbecomingagrowingforcethatcannotbeneglected.However,itisstillstuntedcomparedwiththestrongandindependentmediaforceinthewest,whichiscalled鈥渢hefourthestate鈥onparwithchurchman,noblemanandcivilian.Lackofindependenceandpowerthatmaycompetewithotherpowers,thejournalismsometimesisnothingbutatargetformockery. 　　However,thecasestartlesusinsomeway,bringingwithglimmersofhopethatChina鈥檚journalismisonitswaytocombinationandgrowingintooneoftheimportantforcesinChina. 　　Itiscertainthatasanindividualcase,itcannotbeoverrated.Infact,troublesforChina鈥檚mediaarefarmorethanthat.Amongstthem,amajorthreatcomesfromgovernmentauthorities.China鈥檚Constitutionstipulatesinarticle35thatthefreedomofspeechandthelibertyofthepressarefundamentalrightsofcitizens,which,however,canhardlyberealizedinpractice. 　　Oneofthereasonsisthattheenforcementoflawsdependsonco-operationsfromlegaldepartments,administrativedepartmentandjudicialdepartments,withoutanyofwhom,theConstitutionisadeadletter.Specifically,whenmakinglaws,legalauthoritiesshouldobeytheprinciplesoftheConstitutewhileadministrativedepartmentsshouldstrictlyfollowlegalprocedureswithoutdistortionorviolenceabuse.Whenitcomestohandlingcases,anindependentandjustjudicialsystemshouldbeguaranteed. 　　Ofthe鈥渢roika鈥system,theroleofjuridicaldepartmentsisofgreatimportancetoprotectcitizens鈥essentialrightsandfreedombecauseofitsfunctionstocontainlegalandadministrativedepartments. 　　Inotherwords,freedomandrightscanneverbeleftentirely,aslongasanindependentandjus