Source: CNBC
China will force a French journalist who criticized its treatment of its Muslim Uighur minority to leave the country, as the country prepares to pass controversial new anti-terrorism laws.
The French weekly l'Obs news magazine, said on Friday that the press visa of Ursula Gauthier, its Beijing correspondent, was due to expire on Dec. 31 and Beijing had refused to grant an extension, saying a report she wrote supported acts of violence by Uighurs that China considers terrorist activity.
The story, dated Nov. 18, suggested that China was using last month's Paris attacks to justify crackdowns on Uighur people in northwest China's Xinjiang region.
Hundreds have been killed in recent years in the region, beset by ethnic tensions which Uighur groups blame on repressive government policies, while China denies any human rights abuses and says it faces a campaign from Islamist radicals and separatists.
It is near-impossible for media organizations to report closely on events in Xinjiang, given it is under heavy security surveillance at all times.
China will force a French journalist who criticized its treatment of its Muslim Uighur minority to leave the country, as the country prepares to pass controversial new anti-terrorism laws.
The French weekly l'Obs news magazine, said on Friday that the press visa of Ursula Gauthier, its Beijing correspondent, was due to expire on Dec. 31 and Beijing had refused to grant an extension, saying a report she wrote supported acts of violence by Uighurs that China considers terrorist activity.
The story, dated Nov. 18, suggested that China was using last month's Paris attacks to justify crackdowns on Uighur people in northwest China's Xinjiang region.
Hundreds have been killed in recent years in the region, beset by ethnic tensions which Uighur groups blame on repressive government policies, while China denies any human rights abuses and says it faces a campaign from Islamist radicals and separatists.
It is near-impossible for media organizations to report closely on events in Xinjiang, given it is under heavy security surveillance at all times.
L'Obs said Gauthier was the subject of editorials in
state-controlled media and even death threats after her article was
published.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Lu Kang, said the article "openly supports terrorist activity, the killing of innocents and has outraged the Chinese public." His comments appeared in a question-and-answer posted on the ministry's website on Saturday. Lu added that because Gauthier did not make a public apology, she could not work in China.
L'Obs, which changed its name from Le Nouvel Observateur in October 2014, said it stood by its correspondent. It wrote in an editorial that China's refusal to extend her visa represented a "major incident" at a time when France and China were strengthening their economic, cultural and diplomatic ties.
The French foreign ministry on Friday issued a terse statement in which it regretted that her visa was not renewed. "France would like to remind how important it is for journalists to be able to work everywhere in the world," it said.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Lu Kang, said the article "openly supports terrorist activity, the killing of innocents and has outraged the Chinese public." His comments appeared in a question-and-answer posted on the ministry's website on Saturday. Lu added that because Gauthier did not make a public apology, she could not work in China.
L'Obs, which changed its name from Le Nouvel Observateur in October 2014, said it stood by its correspondent. It wrote in an editorial that China's refusal to extend her visa represented a "major incident" at a time when France and China were strengthening their economic, cultural and diplomatic ties.
The French foreign ministry on Friday issued a terse statement in which it regretted that her visa was not renewed. "France would like to remind how important it is for journalists to be able to work everywhere in the world," it said.
Also on Friday, China's parliament said it would pass new
anti-terror laws on Sunday. This came despite U.S. criticism about cyber
provisions in the rules and concerns over human rights.
Chinese officials say their country faces a growing threat from militants and separatists, especially in Xinjiang.
Officials in Washington have argued the new law, combined with new draft banking and insurance rules and a slew of anti-trust investigations, amounts to unfair regulatory pressure targeting foreign companies.
The draft law, which could require technology firms to install "back doors" in products or hand over sensitive information such as encryption keys to the government, has also been criticized by some Western business groups.
U.S. President Barack Obama has said that he had raised concern about the law directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
In a brief statement, China's National People's Congress said it would hold a news briefing on Sunday to talk about the law, following the end of parliament's latest law-making session. Parliament does not challenge or block legislation proposed by the ruling Communist Party, meaning it is certain to pass.
This week, the U.S. State Department said it had expressed "serious concerns" about the law which it said would do more harm than good against the threat of terrorism.
China's Foreign Ministry hit back, saying technology companies had nothing to fear and the U.S. had no right to intervene.
Chinese officials say their country faces a growing threat from militants and separatists, especially in Xinjiang.
Officials in Washington have argued the new law, combined with new draft banking and insurance rules and a slew of anti-trust investigations, amounts to unfair regulatory pressure targeting foreign companies.
The draft law, which could require technology firms to install "back doors" in products or hand over sensitive information such as encryption keys to the government, has also been criticized by some Western business groups.
U.S. President Barack Obama has said that he had raised concern about the law directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
In a brief statement, China's National People's Congress said it would hold a news briefing on Sunday to talk about the law, following the end of parliament's latest law-making session. Parliament does not challenge or block legislation proposed by the ruling Communist Party, meaning it is certain to pass.
This week, the U.S. State Department said it had expressed "serious concerns" about the law which it said would do more harm than good against the threat of terrorism.
China's Foreign Ministry hit back, saying technology companies had nothing to fear and the U.S. had no right to intervene.
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