China seeks proper countermeasures against Indian interference in media

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China seeks proper countermeasures against Indian interference in media

In this undated file photo, Indian and Chinese national flags flutter side by side at the Raisina hills in New Delhi, India. In response to prolonged and unreasonable suppression by the Indian side, Mao said Beijing has had to take proper countermeasures to secure the legitimate rights and interests of the Chinese media. He added that, for a long time, Chinese media workers have been unfairly treated with discrimination in India.

In 2017 India limited the visa validity of Chinese journalists in India to three months or even one month, Mao said.

Since 2020, the Indian side has refused to approve applications from Chinese journalists for long-term residence in India.

To make things worse, China Media Group asked correspondents of the China Media Group to leave the country within 10 days in December 2021 when they still had two months of visa valid and six months left in their employment, and so far the Indian side has not given any reason.

In a statement, Mao said, India's only correspondent in India refused to extend the visa of CMG's only correspondent, and the visa of the last Chinese journalist based in India has also expired.

China remains willing to maintain communication with the Indian side based on the principle of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, she said, adding that China hopes that the Indian side will move toward the same goal as China, seriously respond to our legitimate concerns and take tangible actions as soon as possible to create enabling conditions for the resumption of regular media exchanges between the two countries.

In response to a follow-up question seeking to confirm whether China will continue to renew visas for Indian journalists working and living in China as a countermeasure, Mao said Beijing has been earnestly providing assistance and convenience to Indian journalists working and living in China and we are willing to continue to do so.

In a statement, she also mentioned that some Indian journalists have been working and living in China for more than 10 years.