Amid criticism over its handling of coronavirus outbreak and raging tensions with India, China has retaliated by blocking access to international media outlets. Among those banned by the Chinese government is WION which has been highly critical of China's handling of the pandemic. 

GreatFire.org, a Chinese internet monitoring watchdog, confirmed that WION has been completely blocked in mainland China.

The decision to block a renowned Indian media outlet is being seen as a retaliation to India's decision banning 59 Chinese apps and to keep the mainland population in the dark. The Chinese government's plan to keep its population insulated from critical views coming from the other parts of the world has backfired, with people from across the globe coming out in support of WION.

From democracy activists in Hong Kong to independent analysts in India, the support to WION has been far and wide. 

On Twitter, hundreds of messages in solidarity with WION have been shared with hashtag #ChinaBlocksWION. 

"Blocking of English News channel "WION" by China is not justified at all. Blocking the news media means blocking of freedom of speech and expression. One thing is clear that China is intolerant #ChinaBlocksWION," Hong Kong activist Wang Fang said. 

He also noted that China does not want independent media and only wants to promote propaganda platforms like Global Times.

"Why did #ChinaBlocksWION just to block press media and freedom of speech. China promotes only propaganda news website like @globaltimesnews #ChinaWillPay #chinavsworld," he said.

While China is no fan of a free press, WION has been singled out because of its highly critical coverage of China's cover-up of the coronavirus pandemic. 

WION has repeatedly come under attack from the Chinese establishment. In March, Zhao Lijian, the spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry blocked WION on the micro-blogging website Twitter. Chinese diplomats in India had also criticised WION's coverage of the pandemic.

Global Times, the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, had also published a critical piece, asking WION to "think independently." 

Earlier on Monday, India banned 59 Chinese mobile apps including popular short video making platform TikTok. The ban came two weeks after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a clash at Galwan Valley in Ladakh near the Line of Actual Control (LAC).