Journalist group defends China's press freedom(2)

"Their criminal activities have undergone the scrutiny of strict judicial process," the association said.

While enjoying ample freedom in news coverage, media institutions must conduct their work within laws and ethics, shoulder social responsibility, say no to fake news and blackmailing, and accept public oversight, it said.

"In any country ruled by law, everyone in the country, irrespective of their profession, should abide by the Constitution and laws," the ACJA said.

"The case is the same in China," it said. "Being a reporter cannot be the reason for allowing a person to disobey the Constitution and law."

ONLINE SECURITY IMPORTANT FOR NATIONAL SECURITY

Responding to the claim that the mainland has hampered freedom on the Internet via reinforced online control in the name of ensuring Internet security, the ACJA said Chinese citizens enjoy ample freedom of expression online.

With an online population of more than 600 million, about 1.25 billion microblog accounts are registered in China and netizens release nearly 30 billion postings a day on the Internet, according to the association.

"Like many countries, China advocates a peaceful, safe, open and cooperative online space, and regards network security as an important part of its national security strategy," it said.

China makes network security a high priority and curbs illegal information which harms national security and public interest, it added.

"This shows the national sovereignty in the Internet space and is a the practice of many countries," the association said.

The ACJA called on various countries to make joint efforts to safeguard the security of the Internet and respect other country's concerns because of their varied situations and cultural traditions.

"We firmly oppose taking online freedom a pretext for interfering in other country's internal affairs," it said.

WESTERN MEDIA'S "DOUBLE STANDARDS"

The ACJA also cast doubt over the "freedom of press" upheld by Western media organizations which, paradoxically, used "double standards" in coverage of a deadly knife attack in southwest China's Kunming.

"The Western media, who always shout for anti-terrorism, human rights and objective coverage, have turned a blind eye to the terrorist attack in Kunming," the association said.

"Some even defended the brutal acts and sought excuses for them," it added.

Some media assumed an ambiguous attitude to the terrorists, calling them "attackers" or "activists" instead of terrorists, it said.

Terrorists with knives slashed frantically at crowds at a railway station in Kunming in southwest China's Yunnan Province on March 1, killing 29 people and injuring 143.

"Obviously, it's double standards," the association said. "They have violated the principle of objectivity and lack professional ethics."