Regretting that Indian journalists in China were facing difficulties, India on Friday hoped the Chinese authorities would facilitate the continued presence of Indian personnel working and reporting from that country.
“Indian journalists in China have been operating with certain difficulties such as not being permitted to hire locals as correspondents or journalists. As you know, foreign media can and do freely hire local journalists to work for their bureaus in India. In addition, Indian journalists also face several restrictions while getting access and travelling locally,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Aridam Bagchi pointed out at a media briefing here.
He noted that all foreign journalists, including those from China, have been pursuing journalistic activities in India without any limitations or difficulties in reporting or doing media coverage. The Indian side, he said, supported and facilitated foreign journalists in India.
”At the same time, there should be no deviations from normal journalistic behaviour and activities, or from the provisions governing journalist visas,” the spokesperson added.
New Delhi’s statement came a day after the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Chinese journalists had “suffered unfair and discriminatory treatment in India for a long time.”
Beijing said it would take “appropriate countermeasures” against India’s treatment of Chinese journalists but called for practical action so that “normal media exchanges” could resume.