Investors buffeted by turmoil in China’s markets have lambasted Beijing for its poor communications. Now the government has responded with its own definition of good communications — instructing ministries to tell the world that everything is really just fine.

Premier Li Keqiang urged “better communication” by ministries in a weekend speech carried extensively by Chinese media. The message should be that China “has sufficient policy weapons” to cope with its challenges, Mr Li told the State Council, or cabinet, in comments loaded with military metaphors. But he added: “We don’t want to use our weapons when we’re not fully prepared.”

As if on cue, the powerful state planning commission convened a rare press conference yesterday and foreign journalists have been invited to not one but two panel discussions on the state of the economy today.