The European Union Saturday called on China to lift the BBC World News broadcast ban, which was recently imposed following the revocation of the license of the Chinese state television channel CGTN, the Associated Press reported.

The EU said in a statement that Beijing's recent move restricts freedom of expression and access to the information within its borders and violates both the Chinese constitution and the universal declaration of human rights.

The statement also said that Hong Kong's announcement that its public broadcaster would also stop broadcasting the BBC further exacerbated the erosion of rights and freedoms that continues in China's semi-autonomous territory since the introduction of a new national security law last year.

The EU remains firmly committed to protecting media freedom and pluralism, as well as protecting the right to freedom of expression online and offline, including the freedom to hold beliefs and receive and impart information without interference, the statement said.