Local media The Daily Observer on February 3rd carried a commentary by the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Antigua and Barbuda titled “Objectivity is the Lifeline of the Press”, which refutes groundless accusations on media freedom in China. Full text of the commentary reads as follows:
I saw an article from BBC in The Daily Observer on February 1, 2022. The article deliberately discredited media freedom in China by quoting a report by the so called “Foreign Correspondent Club of China”(FCCC).
I would like to make it clear that China has never recognized the so-called FCCC, which groups only a handful of biased journalists and could in no way represent the true voice of the nearly 500 foreign journalists in China. As for BBC, having long been clinging to its ideological bias against China, it has produced fake news time and again, spread false information on issues related to Hong Kong, Xinjiang and COVID-19, attacked and vilified China in serious deviation from the professional ethics of journalism.
China is a society governed by law and adheres to the fundamental national policy of opening up. China welcomes media and journalists from other countries to do reporting in China in accordance with law and regulations, ensures the legitimate rights and interests of permanent foreign media outlets and correspondents posted in China, and provides assistance and facilitation for their daily work. The reporting environment for foreign correspondents in China is open and free. As long as foreign journalists abide by the law and do reporting in compliance with the law and regulations, they are warmly welcomed by the Chinese people.
Committed to hosting an open Olympic event, Beijing 2022 has been welcoming media outlets from all countries to follow and cover the Olympic and Paralympic Games since preparation work began. More than 2,500 journalists and photographers have submitted application to register for the Games. On the premise of complying with relevant Chinese laws, regulations and COVID-19 policies, all journalists from registered foreign media outlets can cover the Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games as well as relevant events in China. The Beijing Organizing Committee(BOC) is committed to ensuring journalists’ freedom of reporting according to the Host City Contract and relevant Chinese policies. Due to the grave and complicated global pandemic situation, rigorous prevention and control measures must be taken. The purpose of it is to ensure the safety of the events, athletes and all the other people concerned, which is also a precondition of normal coverage and reporting by journalists. The BOC is ready and will do its utmost to help journalists overcome the difficulties brought by the pandemic.
Objectivity is the lifeline of the press. We welcome objective and truthful reporting on China and constructive suggestions from the media, but categorically oppose any ideological bias against China, any attempt to fabricate fake news under the pretext of the so-called “freedom of the press”, any behavior that violates the professional ethics of journalism and any form of politicization of sports. It is our hope that the concerned media truly abide by professional ethics and conduct, and make up for its "trust deficit" through truly objective and fair reporting.
Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy
in Antigua and Barbuda
February 2, 2022