China rejects fake news campaign against CPEC, Pakistan-China relations

BEIJING: China has firmly rejected certain media for creating fake news with a deliberate attempt to smear the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) building and Pakistan-China relations.

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“China firmly rejects certain media’s attempts that violate its professional ethics and creation of fake news with the deliberate attempt to smear the CPEC building and China-Pakistan relations,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Zhao Lijian during a regular briefing on Tuesday.

The statement came after a report emerged about protests in the Gwadar region against alleged excessive fishing rights given to Chinese trawlers, a step the report claimed was hurting local’s livelihood.

During the briefing, an Indian journalist also claimed that Gwadar saw protests last week.

However, after complete verification, China said the so-called media report and assertions were fake.
“This is completely fake news. Certain media’s hyping up of the protests against China in Gwadar region lacks factual basis,” said the Chinese spokesperson.

Spokesperson Lijian said that no Chinese trawler went to the Gwadar Port area for fishing or docking.

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He reiterated that Gwadar Port, as a leading project of the CPEC, had been focusing on development and people’s livelihood.

China, in advancing relevant cooperation, always followed the principle of mutual respect and consensus, he added.