'It is hoped the new name can reduce ambiguity and better reflect the nature of the department's work,' she said. 'It is a change of the translation of its English name. Its Chinese name will remain unchanged.' The spokesman said publicity department officials hoped the new name would help communications with the outside world which had rejected the word 'propaganda'.

Although the change of name might not lead to an immediate relaxing of censorship or ideological control, diplomats in Beijing said it was a positive sign which showed China wanted to act in an internationally acceptable way.

Unlike previous rulers, the third-generation leadership has made frequent overseas trips and received foreign guests.

A departmental official said there had been suggestions for a long time that the name 'propaganda department' did not help them to promote the country.

'The original name was adopted from the Soviet Union system after the revolution,' he said.

'When we travel abroad and give out our name cards, foreign officials are shocked that we still call ourselves propaganda officials.

'We were told on one occasion the name sounded threatening and only Hitler would have called his publicity unit the Propaganda Department.' He said department head Ding Guangen had not been happy with being known as the 'Propaganda Tsar'.

The department and the Organisation Department are the two most powerful sections in the Communist Party.

Publicity officials are responsible for spreading Marxist-Maoism and the party line, and giving publicity to party decisions. They exercise tight control over the party's mouthpiece newspapers and the Xinhua news agency, and supervise the State Council Information Department and Culture Ministry.

Meanwhile, at a forum of publicity department directors last week, officials were urged to ensure social stability by keeping controversial political debates in check.