British television channel BBC World News has been barred from airing in China, the National Radio and Television Administration said on Friday, a week after Britain's media regulator revoked a Chinese state television broadcast licence.

In a statement issued on the stroke of Lunar New Year, the administration said an investigation found BBC World News' China-related reports had "seriously violated" regulations, including that news should be "truthful and fair," had harmed China's national interests and undermined national unity.

The channel, therefore, does not meet requirements for foreign channels broadcasting in China and its application to air for another year will not be accepted, it added.

On Feb. 4, British media regulator Ofcom revoked China Global Television Network's (CGTN) licence to broadcast in the United Kingdom after an investigation found the licence was wrongfully held by Star China Media Ltd.

Britain's media regulator also last year found China's English-language broadcaster CGTN in "serious failure of compliance" with U.K. impartiality laws during its coverage of Hong Kong protests.