Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying Photo: fmprc.gov.cn

 
The Chinese Foreign Ministry urged some US media and politicians to abandon the brazen "double standards" regarding media reporting, after at least 148 journalists were arrested and attacked by police amid nationwide protests triggered by George Floyd's death against racism and police brutality.  

"How would those politicians or media in the US report it if this happened in China, Russia, or any other country?" Hua Chunying, the spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry at Tuesday's briefing, after some US media and politicians groundlessly blamed China for "suppressing" foreign media in the name of press freedom. 

On May 26 and June 2 alone, at least 148 journalists were affected by vigorous law enforcement measures from police in the US, with 40 shot by rubber bullets, 34 physically attacked by police and 33 arrested or detained. Reporters from the Associated Press, Fox, CNN, NBC and other US media outlets were not spared, and one female photographer was permanently blinded in her left eye after being struck by a rubber bullet.

China is always committed to providing all necessary convenience and assistance to foreign journalists in their reporting and work in China. We hope that the US abandons its "double standards" on media issues, Hua said.

As the protests against Floyd's death spread across the US, Chinese internet users mocked the double standards and hypocrisy of the Trump administration and some US Congress members, as well as some US media outlets, for being critical and tough against nationwide demonstrations but encouraging violent activities in Hong Kong.

Widespread riots in the US, while different from the turmoil in Hong Kong, still had some similarities, such as rioters violently attacking the police, burning public facilities, looting shops and malls, smearing and burning national flags.

Some US media, such as The Washington Post and New York Times, are still practicing double standards in their reporting on the Hong Kong and US turmoil. 

Reporting on an illegal assembly in Hong Kong in late May, the Washington Post quoted a few lines from Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam before one-sidedly reporting from the anti-government protesters' perspective on their clashes with police. The report used several pictures to show "the violence" used by police without describing the violent acts carried out by the rioters.