An official Chinese newspaper on Thursday accused foreign journalists in the country of fabricating news in the latest sign of official nerves over an online campaign for anti-government rallies. The commentary in the Global Times came a day after police threatened foreign journalists on Wednesday that they could lose permission to work in China unless they obey vague new restrictions on covering such rallies.
"It is not unusual for Beijing-based Western journalists to receive demands from bosses in their home countries to make up stories," said an opinion piece in the paper, which is linked to the ruling Communist Party. Western reporters "must never take delight in blind, idle chatter and instead should remember your true status and the laws of the nation where you are living."
The commentary appeared to underline rising official anxiety over an online call for rallies in cities across China each Sunday. Although no protests have yet been seen, police have thrown tight security at the sites in the past two weeks, which last Sunday saw several foreign journalists roughed up. The commentary blamed the presence of Western journalists for attracting crowds of curious onlookers and setting police on edge.
"Making up stories and fabricating news ... does not conform with journalist ethics nor does it really uphold justice," the commentary said.