China bans BBC World News in mainland; UK calls it ‘unacceptable’

LONDON: China has banned British television channel BBC World News from airing in Chinese mainland.

China’s official regulator National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) announced the ban on Thursday, stating that the BBC’s reports “violated the requirements that news should be truthful and fair, harmed China’s national interests and undermined China’s national unity.”

The NRTA has observed that the British broadcaster has failed to meet requirements for foreign channels broadcasting in China. It said its application to air for another year will not be accepted.

British media regulator Ofcom had on February 4 revoked China Global Television Network’s (CGTN) licence to broadcast in the United Kingdom after an investigation found the licence was wrongfully held by Star China Media Ltd.

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The United Kingdom has strongly condemned the move calling it “unacceptable”.

UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab has called the ban "an unacceptable curtailing of media freedom".

"China has some of the most severe restrictions on media and internet freedoms across the globe, and this latest step will only damage China's reputation in the eyes of the world," Raab said.

The BBC said that it was "disappointed" with the move. "The BBC is the world's most trusted international news broadcaster and reports on stories from around the world fairly, impartially and without fear or favour," a BBC spokeswoman told media. China is facing worldwide criticism over reports that it has imprisoned around 1 million Uighur minorities and other minorities in vast labour camps in the autonomous region of Xinjiang in western China that it claims are "re-education" facilities. China has denied accusations of imprisonment and claims it is fighting domestic terrorism and separatism.