China warns of 'appropriate response' after US designates its media as propaganda outlets
China has threatened to launch an “appropriate response” after the United States designated four Chinese media outlets as foreign missions on June 22.
China has threatened to launch an “appropriate response” after the United States denounced four Chinese media outlets as foreign missions on June 22. US State Department announced the designation of US operations of China Central Television, China News Service, the People’s Daily, and the Global Times as foreign missions.
State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in a statement that China’s Communist Party has reorganised state propaganda outlets, disguised as news agencies, and asserted even more direct control over them. Quoting Chinese President Xi Jinping, Ortagus said that he wants “party-owned media” must embody the party’s will, safeguard the party’s authority, and their actions must be highly consistent with the party.
“While Western media are beholden to the truth, PRC media are beholden to the Chinese Communist Party,” the statement read.
China, which has been ranked 177 out of 180 countries, has used the coronavirus pandemic to further tighten the grip on media by banning the publication of any reports that question how it has been managed. China’s attempt to conceal information became a major concern amidst pandemic after two whistle-blowers, who revealed the devastation of coronavirus in Wuhan, went missing.
In February, similar designations were given to Xinhua News Agency, China Global Television Network, China Radio International, China Daily Distribution Corporation, and Hai Tian Development USA. The Department said that all the nine entities meet the definition of a foreign mission under the Foreign Missions Act which means they are “substantially owned or effectively controlled” by the Chinese government.
“This designation recognizes PRC propaganda outlets as foreign missions and increases transparency relating to the CCP and PRC government’s media activities in the United States,” the department added.
'Reject ideological bias'
China called the move as “bare-faced political suppression” of Chinese media, saying it further exposes the “hypocrisy of the so-called freedom of speech and press” which the United States likes to flaunt. During a regular press briefing, China’s Foreign Minister spokesperson Zhao Lijian said that Beijing strongly urges the US to reject the “Cold War mindset” and “ideological bias” otherwise China will have no choice but to give “appropriate response”.
Published By : Kunal Gaurav
Published On: 23 June 2020 at 15:34 IST