Welcome willingness to tackle sensitive issues

Even prior to his maiden show as spokesman for the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference at Wednesday's news conference, what Wang Guoqing said had already turned heads.

"The more sensitive a question is, the harder I will try to clarify. As long as it does not affect national security and the overall situation, why should we shrink from some questions?" he was quoted as saying.

We appreciate that open-mindedness, and wish those precious lines be repeated a thousand times and written into textbooks for government spokespeople who should be information sharers. By dodging questions they find "sensitive", spokespeople may end up stoking confusion and undermining the credibility of the institutions they represent.