Journalists, artists back letter calling for UK to reverse CGTN ban

Journalists, filmmakers and artists have called for the British authorities to reverse Ofcom's decision to ban CGTN.

An open letter published by the No Cold War campaign and the Morning Star challenges the "act of censorship".

Signatories include award-winning journalist John Pilger, Oscar-winning directors Oliver Stone and Ken Loach, rapper Lowkey, writer and poet Anna Chen, and author Tariq Ali.

Britain's communications regulator Ofcom revoked the license of CGTN to broadcast in the UK in early February on the grounds of its ultimate control and its political attributes. Beijing slammed the move as political repression of the Chinese media.

"The UK claims to champion press freedom on the one hand while launching political oppression against CGTN and obstructing its broadcasting on the other," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said following the move.

"The UK on the one hand boasts about objectivity and impartiality, while on the other makes political maneuvers and its media take stances and choose angles in reporting all based on ideology, sometimes even fabricating fake news. It is a blatant double standard out of typical political motives," she added.

Last month, China's broadcasting regulator decided to pull BBC World News off the air in the country for serious content violation, saying the channel's China-related reports had undermined China's national interests and ethnic solidarity.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said earlier this month that China welcomes journalists from all countries to cover news according to the law.

Wang said China is always open to foreign journalists, including those from the UK, reporting in China and is willing to offer convenience for their work and life in the country.

"What we oppose is ideological bias against China and fake news in the name of press freedom," Wang added.