Beijing hits out at European Union over ‘irresponsible comments’ on Hong Kong affairs following BBC World News ban

Bloc earlier pointed to RTHK’s ban on BBC broadcasts as evidence of increasing ‘erosion of the rights and freedoms’ in Hong Kong after imposition of security law

But Beijing’s mission in Brussels says the EU has no right to use the ban as a pretext to make irresponsible comments

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A spokesman for the Chinese mission to the European Union says the EU has no right to use the ban on BBC as a pretext to make irresponsible comments on the Hong Kong national security law. Photo: AFP

Danny Lee

Published: 9:58pm, 13 Feb 2021Updated: 9:59pm, 13 Feb 2021

Beijing has hit out at the European Union over its “irresponsible comments” on Hong Kong affairs after the public broadcaster in the financial hub stopped carrying BBC world news.

The diplomatic spat began when British media regulator Ofcom revoked the Chinese state channel’s broadcasting domestic licence, saying it was ultimately controlled by the Communist Party and therefore violated local laws.

In retaliation, Beijing took the BBC’s international news channel off the airwaves in “Chinese territory”, claiming the channel had failed to meet the country’s broadcasting requirements. It also said BBC reports damaged China’s interests and ethnic unity.

RTHK then announced it would stop rebroadcasting BBC World Service radio and BBC News Weekly, following the decision by China’s National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA).

A spokesman for the Chinese mission to the European Union said: “I want to point out that RTHK, as a public broadcaster in Hong Kong, has decided to pull the relevant BBC programmes off the air in accordance with the NRTA’s communication. The EU side has no right to use it as a pretext to make irresponsible comments on the Hong Kong national security law.”

The Brussels-based Chinese mission said truthfulness, objectivity and impartiality were “fundamental requirements” for news reporting and “important prerequisites” for media freedom.

Beijing hits out at European Union over ‘irresponsible comments’ on Hong Kong affairs following BBC World News ban

Bloc earlier pointed to RTHK’s ban on BBC broadcasts as evidence of increasing ‘erosion of the rights and freedoms’ in Hong Kong after imposition of security law But Beijing’s mission in Brussels says the EU has no right to use the ban as a pretext to make irresponsible comments

Bloc earlier pointed to RTHK’s ban on BBC broadcasts as evidence of increasing ‘erosion of the rights and freedoms’ in Hong Kong after imposition of security law

But Beijing’s mission in Brussels says the EU has no right to use the ban as a pretext to make irresponsible comments