China freezes Indian journalists’ visas

Responding to questions on the issue, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “There are Chinese journalists who have valid Indian visas for pursuing journalistic activities here. So, from that perspective, we don’t see any limitations or difficulties in reporting or doing media coverage… As regards to Indian journalists working in China, we hope that Chinese authorities would facilitate their continued presence and reporting from China.”

On the visa clearance issue, he said, “We are in touch with the Chinese authorities in this regard. I do not want to get into individual cases or individual information.”

Asked about the number of Chinese journalists operating in India, Bagchi said it is better to ask the Chinese side.

“Because I would not know their exact position — whether they are here or they have gone back to China or somewhere else. But certainly there are a number of Chinese journalists who have valid Indian visas,” he said. “If there are individual cases and issues, I am sure there are mechanisms to discuss,” he added.

Sources said Prasar Bharati’s China correspondent has completed his term and is back in India. His successor is waiting for the visa to travel to China. The Hindu’s China correspondent, it is learnt, has been informed that his visa has been “frozen”. He is in India currently.

China, meanwhile, has sought reciprocal measures from India for the facilitation of its journalists.

Asked why China resorted to suspension of visas of Indian journalists, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a media briefing on Thursday that “for a long time Chinese journalists have received unfair and discriminatory treatment in India”.

“In 2017, the Indian side shortened the period of validity of visas held by Chinese journalists in India to three months or even one month without any valid reason. Since 2020, the Indian side refused to review and approve Chinese journalists’ applications for stationing in India,” she said.