All foreign journalists, “including Chinese journalists”, have been engaging in journalistic activities in India “without any limitations or difficulties”, said the ministry of external affairs, even as it pointed out that Indian journalists in China have been facing “certain difficulties”.

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi made these remarks – at the ministry’s weekly press briefing on Friday – days after a Wall Street Journal report claimed that India and China have been “virtually wiping out media access” to each other by ejecting each other’s journalists.

“Indian side supports and facilitates foreign journalists in India, I am sure you can attest to it,” Bagchi said. He, however, emphasised that Indian journalists are not permitted to “hire locals” as correspondents or journalists and face “several restrictions” while getting access and “traveling locally” in China.

“We hope that Chinese authorities facilitate the continued presence of Indian journalists working and reporting from China,” he said, adding that the two sides are in touch regarding the issue.

A Wall Street Journal report recently said that India and China are ejecting each other’s journalists, and that India had “denied visa renewals this month to the last two remaining Chinese state media journalists in the country”. The report also drew a response from the Chinese foreign ministry, which said Chinese journalists had “suffered unfair and discriminatory treatment in India for a long time”. Read all about it here.