CHINA said it had revoked the press credentials of three reporters for the Wall Street Journal over a headline of an opinion column deemed by Beijing to be racist and slanderous.
The move follows a complaint over the headline, which referred to the coronavirus outbreak and called the country the “Real Sick Man of Asia”.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the February 3 article by Professor Walter Russell Mead “smears the efforts of the Chinese government and people on fighting [the virus] epidemic”. He said: “The editors used a racially discriminatory title, triggering indignation and condemnation among the Chinese people and the international community.”
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The statement said the expulsions came after the Journal refused demands to “make an official apology and hold the persons involved accountable”.
It identified the three journalists as deputy bureau chief Josh Chin, reporter Chao Deng – both US citizens – and reporter Philip Wen, an Australian. They have been given five days to leave the country, according to Jonathan Cheng, the Journal’s China bureau chief.
Like most foreign media, the Wall Street Journal is unavailable in China and its website and stories are blocked by online censors.
The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China issued a statement expressing “deep concern and strong condemnation” of the Chinese move. It pointed out that none of the three reporters had any involvement with the opinion piece or its headline.
The expulsions came a day after the US designated five Chinese media outlets as foreign diplomatic missions, saying their journalists operated as propaganda agents and required greater monitoring.
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