The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has reminded China that India has free media after the Chinese mission on Wednesday sent a letter to Indian media advising how to report on Taiwan.
The MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava in response to WION said, “I will say, there is a free media in India that reports on the issues as it sees fit.”
The letter by Chinese mission came ahead of the Taiwan national day on October 10 which stated, “would like to remind our media friends that there is only one China in the world” and the “Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China.”
Also read: Get lost, says Taiwan after Chinese mission asks Indian media to follow ‘One-China’ policy
The letter by Chinese mission advised, “not to violate the One-China principle”, asking the Indian media to not refer Taiwan as a “country” or “The Republic of China” or its Taiwan president Tsai ing-wen as President as it sends “wrong signals to the general public.”
The letter came hours after leading national newspapers in India carried full-page advert, on WION running a programme on Taiwanese national day. The programme went on air at 7 pm on Wednesday and again on Thursday at 5.30 pm.
Interestingly, Taiwan foreign minister had also taken note of the Chinese letter and in a strong reaction asked them to get lost.
A tweet by Taiwanese foreign ministry, said, “India is the largest democracy on Earth with a vibrant press & freedom-loving people. But it looks like communist China hoping to march into the subcontinent by imposing censorship.”
Adding, “Taiwan’s Indian friends will have one reply: GET LOST! JW”. The tweet was undersigned with initials — JW or Joseph Wu, the foreign minister of Taiwan.
