Beijing, 6 Jun (Zhongxin Net) -- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin presided over a regular news conference on 12 June.
A reporter asked: According to reports, the only Indian correspondent in China was asked to leave China a few days ago. Can China explain the relevant situation?
Wang Wenbin: The Chinese side has briefed you on the issue of Chinese and Indian media before. Since 2020, the Indian side has refused to approve the application of Chinese journalists to stay in India, and insisted on only giving Chinese media in India a valid visa for three months or even one month, resulting in a sharp reduction in the number of Chinese journalists from <> to only one at present, and the Indian side has not yet agreed to extend the visa for the last Chinese journalist stationed in India. Indian media have had four resident Chinese correspondents in recent years, and one still lives and works in China.
In recent years, the Indian side has adopted unfair and discriminatory treatment of Chinese media in India, some Chinese journalists have been waiting for visas to stay in India for three years, and some journalists have obtained visas for seven consecutive times during their five years in India with a validity period of less than one month, or even only 15 days, resulting in many Chinese journalists facing expiration just after the previous round of applications were approved, and they have been in a state where residence permits, bank cards, driver's licenses, and mobile phone cards have expired for a long time. During the five years in India, Chinese journalists in India were unable to apply for local bank cards for four and a half years. Recently, Mr. Hu Xiaoming, former director of the Xinhua News Agency's New Delhi branch, published a report on his personal experience in India.
In stark contrast to the Indian side's approach to Chinese media reporters, China has always treated Indian correspondents in China like friends and family. China has exercised restraint and communicated with India many times in good faith, but regrettably, India has not taken action to solve the problem.
The media is an important bridge to promote mutual recognition and friendly feelings, and China is willing to continue to maintain communication with the Indian side in accordance with the principles of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, and hopes that the Indian side will meet China halfway, take practical and effective measures, issue visas for Chinese resident journalists as soon as possible, remove unreasonable restrictions on Chinese journalists, and create favorable conditions for the resumption of normal media exchanges between China and India. (End)