'Serious Consequences,' Warns China's Media As India Expels Journalists
Beijing: India will face "serious consequences" if it has refused visa to three Chinese journalists as a "revenge" after Beijing opposed India's bid to join elite Nuclear Suppliers Group or NSG last month, China's media said .
"...speculation is swirling that India is taking revenge against China for the latter's opposition to India joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)...If New Delhi is really taking revenge due to the NSG membership issue, there will be serious consequences," the editorial in the Global Times said on Sunday.
Three Chinese journalists representing the state-run Xinhua news agency have been denied permission to stay on in India. According to sources, the three journalists - Delhi-based Bureau Chief Wu Qiang and two reporters in Mumbai Tang Lu and Ma Qiang - were being watched by security agencies for several months now for "activities beyond their official work".
Their visas had expired in January and since then they were being extended regularly. They will have to return by July 31. All three had sought extension of their stay by a few months till their successors arrive.
"On the visa issue this time, we should take action to display our reaction. We at least should make a few Indians feel Chinese visas are also not easy to get," the editorial said.
"No official reason was given for the rejection of the visa renewals. Some Indian media claimed that the three journalists are suspected of impersonating other people to access several restricted departments in Delhi and Mumbai with fake names. There were also reports attributing it to the journalists' meeting with exiled Tibetan activists," the editorial said.
Quoting its former Indian correspondent, Lu Pengfei, Global Times said there is "absolutely no need" for Chinese journalists in India to conduct interviews under fake names and it is completely normal for reporters to request interviews with the Dalai Lama group.
"The act has sent negative messages and media communications between China and India will inevitably be negatively impacted," the editorial titled, 'India's expulsion of reporters is a petty act', said.
It claimed that by opposing India's NSG membership, China was not being disrespectful but it was obeying the rule that all NSG members are required to be signatories to the
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
However, the editorial also pitched for maintaining friendly India-China ties.
"The China-India bilateral relationship now is on a sound track, with a by and large tranquil border and steadily booming trade. The two in general are able to maintain neutrality with regard to international affairs that are related to the other side," the editorial said.
"China should stick to a friendly strategy toward India, as we believe bilateral friendship is in the interests of India as well," it said.
Source:-NDTV
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