China urges US to abandon ‘Cold War mentality’ over media curbs

BEIJING (Kyodo) — China called Tuesday on the United States to abandon its “Cold War mentality,” a day after the President Donald Trump’s administration designated four more Chinese media houses as the country’s propaganda apparatus.

The latest move has “further exposed the hypocrisy of the so-called freedom of the press and speech advertised by the United States,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters.

The United States should “immediately stop and correct its wrong practice that harms others. Otherwise, China will have to make a necessary and proper response,” he added.

On Monday, Washington labeled the state-run China Central Television and three other Chinese media outlets as “foreign missions,” requiring them to submit information on their employees and property holdings in the United States.

The world’s two major powers have locked horns on a range of issues, including each other’s treatment of their journalists.

In February, Xinhua News Agency, China’s largest official news agency, China Global Television Network, which falls under CCTV, and three other media houses were placed under restrictions.

In retaliation, China said in March that it decided to expel American journalists working for five U.S. media outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post.

Source: Mainichi

• Pin