MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

BBC World News barred from China in retaliation for UK revoking Beijing's CGTN network

Chinese regulators banned BBC World News on Thursday, claiming the global network “seriously violated” the country's broadcasting rules.

Chinese regulators have accused the UK's global broadcaster of breaking China's media code. The move follows the decision by UK authorities to revoke the license for China's global state TV network CGTN.

Chinese regulators banned BBC World News on Thursday, claiming the global network “seriously violated” the country's broadcasting rules.

The National Radio and Television Administration cited “the requirement that news should be truthful and fair” and not “harm China's national interests.” The channel therefore does not meet requirements for foreign channels broadcasting in China and its application to air for another year will not be accepted, it added.

English-language BBC World News is not included in most TV channel packages in China but is available in some hotels and residences.

“We are disappointed that the Chinese authorities have decided to take this course of action,” The BBC said in a statement.

“The BBC is the world’s most trusted international news broadcaster and reports on stories from around the world fairly, impartially and without fear or favor”

China's move comes a week after British media regulator Ofcom revoked the UK license for China's Global Television Network's (CGTN). An investigation found that an entity dubbed Star China Media Limited wrongly held the license for the net-work.

Ofcom said it did not have “editorial responsibility” for the channel's output, and therefore “does not meet the legal requirement of having control over the licensed service.” Star was acting as the distributor, rather than the provider of the news channel, it added.

British regulators also rejected a proposal by CGTN to transfer the license to a new entity. They found it would ultimately still be controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, and therefore disqualified under UK law.