Three Chinese journalists, working out of India for the Chinese news Agency, Xinhua have been told to leave India after the government decided not to renew their visas.
Advertisement
Journalists Wu Qiang and Lu Tang head Xinhua’s bureau in New Delhi and Mumbai respectively. All the three had sought extension of their stay by a few months till their successors arrive. The third journalist has been working in Mumbai.
Veteran diplomats said they could not recall any instance in the last 10 years of India expelling foreign journalists without explanation, a tactic used more frequently by China on critical American scribes.
“No explanation has been given for the denial of visa renewal”, Mr. Wu told The Hindu elaborating that they had received the latest visa extension last week but were told that no further extensions would be granted to them. While Xinhua was said to have confirmed the development in Beijing, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) chose not to officially comment on the issue.
Ties between the two nations have been strained after Beijing refused to back India’s bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) last month in Seoul. Its president is said to be a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.
Advertisement
A submission was also made to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to reconsider the case but with time running out India asked the three to return.
