Chinese media threatens India for expelling its journalists

NEW DELHI: Chinese media, which is familiar with journalists being thrown out of Beijing, has now accused India of "having a suspicious mind" and has threatened it with "serious consequences", for expelling three of its journalists.Beijing should now respond to the expulsion with a tit for tat towards India, Global Times, the Chinese state-run news outlet wrote on Monday.The expulsion of journalists is familiar territory for China and its media. Just six months ago, China expelled a French journalist for refusing to apologize for an article she wrote that was critical of Beijing's policy towards Muslims in Xinjiang. China was severely criticized then for attempting to muzzle and intimidate the foreign press.India reportedly expelled the Chinese journalists because it believed they were impersonating people to gain access to sensitive and restricted areas and were therefore a security threat.The state-run Global Times pooh-poohed these reports. It said that New Delhi's real reason was to take "revenge due to the Nuclear Suppliers Group membership issue". Beijing last month blocked India getting membership to the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).The tit for tat that Global Times advocated is on the issuance of visas to Indians."On the visa issue this time, we should take actions to display our reaction. We at least should make a few Indians feel Chinese visas are also not easy to get," Global Times wrote.The article also said India's attitude is a result of its society's "soaring nationalism" of recent years."Crowned by Western public opinion as the world's biggest democracy, the Indians have a strong sense of pride," Global Times wrote.As for the reports that the journalists were impersonating people and meeting with Tibetan activists exiled from China, Global Times quoted one of its own former India-based journalists as saying there was "absolutely no need for" Chinese journalists to impersonate anyone."It is completely normal for reporters to request interviews with the Dalai Lama group," said Lü Pengfei, former India-based special correspondent with the Global Times, according to the article.India always causes problems in giving visa to people from China, the Global Times article alleged."No matter whether Chinese reporters apply for a long-term or a temporary journalist visa, they will come across many troubles. Complaints about difficulties of acquiring an Indian visa have also been heard from other Chinese who deal with India. In contrast, it's much easier for Indians to get a Chinese visa," it added.