Chinese foreign ministry lodges stern representations to BBC over fake news

BEIJING - The Information Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has lodged stern representations with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Beijing office over its COVID-19-related fake news, according to a statement released on the ministry's website on Thursday.

The statement said that the BBC aired the fake news on Jan. 29.

According to the statement, the BBC video linked COVID-19 with politics and once again hyped topics of "covering up" the epidemic and the virus' origin.

The BBC also aired a video clip of anti-terrorism drills as news coverage of "violent law enforcement and human rights violations" by China's epidemic prevention authorities.

"This is fake news with typical ideological bias, which has resulted in a vile impact," the statement said.

The Chinese side urged the BBC and its Beijing office to take China's stance seriously and take earnest measures to undo the report's vile impact, said the statement.

The BBC and its Beijing office should also make a public apology to China over the fake news, abandon its ideological bias, and stop deliberately smearing and attacking China. The BBC should follow work ethics, and carry out China-related news reporting in an objective, balanced and fair manner, the statement said.

"China reserves the right to take further measures," it said.