'Harms National Interest' China Blocks UK BBC World News Broadcast... US Criticizes China as the Most Oppressive Worldwide

British public broadcaster BBC
[Image source = Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Eun-young] China has officially banned the broadcast of the British BBC World News within its territory. While the UK has protested, calling it an "unacceptable decision," the United States sided with the UK, stating it "strongly condemns China's decision."

On the 12th, the state-run Xinhua News Agency reported that China's National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) announced the decision to ban BBC broadcasts.

In a statement released at midnight, the NRTA claimed that BBC broadcasts violated China's national interests and ethical regulations, asserting that the content breached rules requiring reports to be truthful and fair.

It added, "BBC broadcasts will not be allowed to provide services within Chinese territory," and "applications for BBC World News broadcast licenses will not be accepted for the next year."

The UK immediately protested.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab condemned China's decision as an "unacceptable decision that undermines press freedom."

Raab raised his voice, saying, "China is the country with the strictest regulations on press and internet freedom worldwide, and this measure will only damage China's reputation globally."

Chinese President Xi Jinping is delivering a group New Year's greeting speech at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on the 10th, celebrating the biggest festival, the Spring Festival (Chunje, Chinese New Year). [Image source=Yonhap News]

Some view this move as a tit-for-tat response from China.

Earlier, on the 4th, the UK's broadcasting and telecommunications regulator revoked the broadcast license of China Global Television Network (CGTN), which opened its European headquarters in London in 2019, stating that it operates under the control of the Chinese Communist Party.

At that time, the UK media watchdog Ofcom found in its investigation that CGTN was subject to censorship by the Chinese Communist Party, judging this as a violation of regulations.

Additionally, the Chinese government harshly criticized BBC broadcasts reporting allegations of human rights abuses by authorities targeting ethnic minorities in China's Xinjiang region as "fake news."

President Joe Biden of the United States - President Xi Jinping of China (PG)
[Image source = Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, regarding China's action, Ned Price, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, said on the 11th (local time), "We strongly condemn China's decision to ban BBC World News broadcasts," pointing out that "China remains the most controlled, repressive, and unfree information environment in the world."

He also criticized, "It is concerning that China restricts free operation of media and platforms domestically while its leaders use an open media environment abroad to spread disinformation."

Major foreign media outlets evaluated Price's remarks as "the U.S. siding with the UK over China's ban on BBC broadcasts."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.