India’s media presence in the second-largest global economy will cease to exist as Beijing has instructed the last reporter from the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency to depart when his visa expires this month. This development underscores the ongoing tension between the two nations, which escalated in 2020 following clashes near the disputed Pangong Lake in Ladakh and Tibet, resulting in numerous casualties.
China’s decision not to renew visas for the last two Indian journalists stationed in the country is a reciprocal action in response to India’s recent expulsion of two Chinese state media journalists. The visa of one of the two Indian reporters, affiliated with the Hindustan Times, expired, prompting his departure on Sunday.
Earlier this year, India had four reporters in China; however, two were prevented from returning after their visas were frozen. A call was made by China on Monday for India to find a middle ground in the ongoing journalist dispute between the two countries. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin expressed concerns over the treatment of Chinese journalists in India and urged India to issue visas, remove restrictions, and foster favorable conditions for media exchanges.
Wang highlighted that since 2020, India had not approved new visas for Chinese journalists, resulting in a significant decline in the number of Chinese correspondents in India. He emphasized China’s willingness to engage in communication with India based on principles of mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit, urging India to reciprocate.
While India granted temporary visas to Chinese state media reporters for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation foreign ministers’ meeting in May, the country’s foreign ministry expressed hope for reciprocity from China and emphasized that India allows all foreign journalists to operate within its borders.
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