No Chinese journalist in India?

Beijing/New Delhi: Beijing today claimed that Chinese journalists “have suffered unfair and discriminatory treatment in India for a long time”.

Responding to a Wall Street Journal report that China and India have effectively kicked out a large number of each other’s journalists recently by denying visa renewals, the Chinese foreign ministry said the number of Chinese journalists stationed in India is “about to drop to zero”, and considering this, Beijing has “no choice but to take appropriate counter-measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese media organizations”. 

China claimed that it has been actively providing assistance and convenience to Indian journalists working and living in China, and treats them like friends and family.

“I believe many of you here know that some Indian journalists have been working and living in China for more than 10 years. The current situation is not what we want to see. We hope that the Indian side will immediately correct its wrongdoing and provide facilitation to the normal work and life of journalists from both countries,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told journalists during her regular press briefing.

Ning recounted that in 2017, New Delhi shortened the period of validity of visas held by Chinese journalists in India to three months or even one month “without any valid reason”.

She further claimed that since 2020, India refused to review and approve Chinese journalists’ applications for stationing in India.

“As a result, the number of Chinese journalists stationed in India has plummeted from 14 at the normal time to just one. As we speak, the Indian side still has not renewed the visa of the last Chinese journalist in the country. The number of Chinese journalists stationed in India is about to drop to zero,” she said.

Ning though stressed that China was still willing to maintain communication with India under the principles of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit.

“We hope that India will work in the same direction with China, seriously respond to China’s legitimate concerns, and take concrete steps as soon as possible to create favourable conditions for restoring normal exchange between the media organizations of the two countries,” she said.

Meanwhile, the 27th Meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was held today in person in New Delhi. The Joint Secretary (East Asia) from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) led the Indian Delegation. The Chinese delegation was led by the Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Affairs Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The two sides reviewed the situation along the Line of Actual Control in the Western Sector of the India-China border areas and discussed proposals for disengagement in the remaining areas in a frank and open manner.

“Restoration of peace and tranquillity will create conditions for normalising bilateral relations,” the MEA stated, adding that in order to achieve this objective, in accordance with existing bilateral agreements and protocols, both sides agreed to hold the next (19th) round of Senior Commander’s meeting at an early date. The two sides agreed to continue discussions through military and diplomatic channels.