June 30th, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiaqun presided over a regular press conference.
Bloomberg reporter asked that, according to reports, the Indian Embassy in China recently met with staff from Xinhua News Agency to discuss issues related to Chinese journalists in India. Can the Chinese side confirm this matter and provide updates on its progress?
Guo Jia Kun said: “I don’t understand the specific situation you mentioned. The Chinese side is always willing to promote cooperation in all fields between China and India on an equal, friendly basis.”
According to the WeChat public account of the “Chinese Embassy in India,” on April 19, 2025, Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong stated in a written interview with the Indian mainstream English newspaper The Times of India that one of the prominent issues facing China-India relations is a trust deficit. This is mainly due to the lack of exchanges between the two countries in recent years, resulting in information deficits and cognitive deficits. Most of the communication and dialogue mechanisms established between China and India are currently inactive, and the level of cultural exchange is low. Although China is making efforts to improve the level of exchanges between the two countries, last year Chinese embassies and consulates in India issued a total of 280,000 visas to Indians, and since this year alone, more than 85,000 visas have been issued. However, it is not easy for Chinese people to obtain visas in India. The two sides have also not resumed sending journalists to each other, resulting in a lack of first-hand information about the other country. Some so-called “Chinese unfair trade theories” and “China threat theories” are amplified through media, greatly affecting the general public's perception of China.
The media is an important link in enhancing mutual understanding between the people of the two countries. China is not afraid of negative reports and welcomes constructive suggestions from Indian media regarding China’s development and Sino-Indian relations. There is an ancient saying in China that “listening to both sides leads to clarity, while listening to only one side leads to confusion.” We hope that media friends will obtain information and perspectives from various sources, break through the “third-party filter,” and report on China comprehensively from their own perspectives.
Currently, the competent authorities of China and India are conducting intensive discussions regarding the exchange of journalists and visa facilitation issues. It is hoped that tangible results can be achieved as soon as possible, thereby bridging the information deficit, cognitive deficit, and trust deficit between the two sides.
