Western media accused of using unverified claims to promote false narratives about China, says author Nury Vittachi

Western media are using unverified claims that Beijing censored footage of the deadly Nepal-Tibet floods to promote “false narratives” about China, Hong Kong-based author Nury Vittachi has told RT.

Speaking on Thursday, Vittachi said Western outlets frequently cite Tibetan advocacy groups without adequately disclosing their funding and location, while shaping reporting that portrays Beijing in an overwhelmingly negative light.

“The Western media pick up these groups and they deliberately hide the funding,” he said, arguing that readers consequently get a “very distorted view.”

Vittachi singled out organizations supported by the US-based National Endowment for Democracy (NED), accusing them of “weaponizing human rights against China.” He argued that negative coverage of China ultimately serves a broader effort to “manufacture consent for a war on China.”

The comments come as Western outlets including the BBC and Telegraph have accused Beijing of suppressing footage of the catastrophic flooding along the Nepal-China border. The BBC claimed images of the disaster had spread around the world while being heavily restricted inside China.

However, footage aired by the BBC itself included material obtained from China’s state broadcaster CCTV, showing floodwaters engulfing the border crossing at Gyirong.

Reporting live for RT from Gyirong, CGTN correspondent Cen Ziyuan showed the scale of the destruction and the difficulties facing rescue crews trying to reach the worst-hit areas. Heavy mud and huge rocks have blocked access roads, forcing crews to deploy excavators and other heavy machinery, she said.

Cen said rescuers had in some cases spent more than ten hours climbing through mountainous terrain to reach the border area, while helicopters had been used for airdrops. Her report from the disaster zone also showed heavy machinery working near the destroyed Gyirong Port and flood-damaged roads.

The on-the-ground coverage comes as search and rescue operations continue following the catastrophic landslide and flooding, with thousands reported dead or missing across the affected region.