China vowed on Tuesday to retaliate if the U.S. refuses to grant visa extensions for Chinese journalists residing in America.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said no journalist from China has received a visa extension since the U.S. tightened visa rules for Chinese media personnel in May, according to Reuters. Chinese journalists are now limited to 90-day stays with the possibility of an extension, according to Reuters.
“The U.S. has been escalating its actions against Chinese journalists,” Wenbin told reporters at a press conference, according to Reuters. “The U.S. should immediately correct its mistake and stop its actions. If the U.S. persists, China will take a necessary and legitimate response to safeguard its rights.”
Hu Xijin, editor in chief of Chinese state-run publication the Global Times, said the communist nation “will retaliate” against U.S. media presence in Hong Kong in a Monday Tweet. (RELATED: Chinese Propaganda Outlet Has Paid US Newspapers $19 Million For Advertising, Printing)
From what I know, given that the US side hasn’t renewed visa of Chinese journalists, Chinese side has prepared for the worst scenario that all Chinese journalists have to leave the US. If that’s the case, Chinese side will retaliate, including targeting US journalists based in HK
— Hu Xijin 胡锡进 (@HuXijin_GT) August 4, 2020
America’s decision to reduce visa length for Chinese press came after the communist country expelled journalists working for the New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal from China in March, according to Reuters.
The U.S. also reduced the total number of personnel allowed to work in U.S. bureaus of Chinese state-owned publications from 160 to 100 in March, Reuters reported.
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