In reaction to India reportedly expelling the Chinese journalists because it believed they were impersonating people to gain access to sensitive and restricted areas and were therefore a security threat, the Chinese media has come down harshly on India.  China's state-run media has warned India of "serious consequences" if its decision against renewing the visas of a group of journalists was retaliation for Beijing blocking India from joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group or NSG, a 48-country nuclear trade bloc. "On the visa issue this time, we should take actions to display our reaction.

We at least should make a few Indians feel Chinese visas are also not easy to get," a media report said. "Crowned by Western public opinion as the world's biggest democracy, the Indians have a strong sense of pride," it added. Three Chinese journalists from the state-run Xinhua news agency have been denied permission to stay on in India. According to sources, Delhi-based Bureau Chief Wu Qiang and Mumbai-based reporters Tang Lu and Ma Qiang were being watched by security agencies for several months now for "activities beyond their official work". "No official reason was given for the rejection of the visa renewals. Some Indian media claimed that the three journalists are suspected of impersonating other people to access several restricted departments in Delhi and Mumbai with fake names. There were also reports attributing it to the journalists' meeting with exiled Tibetan activists."