"We absolutely condemn the PRC’s decision to ban BBC World News," Price said. "The PRC maintains one of the most controlled, most oppressive, least free information spaces in the world... We call on the PRC and other nations with authoritarian controls over their population to allow the full access to the internet and media."
Earlier in Thursday, China's National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) announced that BBC World News would be banned from being available in the nation for at least one year. The Beijing regulator suggested that the UK broadcaster's impartiality was in question and claimed violations of its foreign media outlet regulations .
NRTA said it would not accept BBC World News' application for broadcast in China during the upcoming new year.
The announcement came overnight into the Chinese New Year celebrated this Friday.
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said China's decision was "unacceptable."
One week ago, UK regulators revoked the license of the state-owned China Global Television Network (CGTN). In a statement, Britain's communications regulator Ofcom said the company that owns CGTN's UK license does not have effective oversight or the requisite day-to-day editorial control over what the broadcaster airs.
