[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Ambassador Zheng Zeguang
Embassy of the People’s Republic of China
49-51 Portland Pl, London W1B 1JL

Dear HE Ambassador Zheng,

In 1948 the People’s Republic of China was an original signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 19 of UDHR protects freedom of expression and media freedom.

The actions by your Government today, in banning the BBC World Service, contravene Article 19 and are a direct attack on the plurality of media available to your citizens.

The BBC World Service provides impartial, independent and factual news throughout the world and is a trusted news outlet. This ban is an assault on its integrity as an accurate news source and is a clear effort to further restrict Chinese residents’ access to an independent source of news.

We call on the Chinese Government to immediately re-instate broadcast rights for the BBC and to guarantee ongoing access for BBC journalists both in China and Hong Kong.

As you will know the BBC whilst state funded operates entirely independently from the British Government. There is no justifiable cause for this ban.

Yours sincerely,

Ruth Smeeth
Chief Executive[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]