The British ambassador to China has defended her call for greater press freedom in the country as a spat between the countries over media coverage intensified.
China’s foreign ministry summoned Dame Caroline Wilson to complain about an article published last week by the UK embassy’s official account on WeChat, the Chinese messaging platform. The ambassador wrote in support of foreign media in China, saying it offered an independent critique of the government.
The foreign ministry called Wilson’s article “inappropriate” and said it demonstrated “arrogance”. The original article has been banned from being shared on WeChat.
Wilson stood by her comments, writing on Twitter: “No doubt the outgoing Chinese Ambassador to the UK stands by the 170+ pieces he was free to place in mainstream British media.”
The diplomatic debacle came amid a broader UK-China row over press regulation. Ofcom, the UK media regulator, fined Chinese state broadcaster CGTN this…