China appears to be softening its stance on new rules banning foreign news agencies from dealing directly with local clients and imposing censorship on their products, according to Tom Glocer, chief executive of Reuters.

Announced last month by sector regulator Xinhua news agency, the regulations drew grave concern from US and EU officials and fierce criticism from media freedom advocates. In his first public comments on the issue, Mr Glocer made clear that Reuters did not accept Xinhua’s demand that it deal with local clients only through an agent appointed by the government news agency, calling the rules a “substantial threat”.