U.S. makes stronger visa rules for Chinese journalists amidst coronavirus unease
The United States put forward a new rule on Friday for stronger visa guidelines for Chinese journalists, saying it was in response to the treatment of U.S. journalists in China, a movement that comes amidst tensions between the two nations over the coronavirus global pandemic.
“The United States and China have been engaged in a series of retaliatory actions involving journalists in recent months.“
In March, China threw out American journalists from three U.S. newspapers, a month after the United States said it would begin to treat five Chinese state-run media entities with U.S. operations the same as foreign embassies.
In the bringing forward anew regulation on Friday, the Department of Homeland Security cited what it called China’s “suppression of independent journalism.”
The order, which will take effect on Monday, will curtail visas for Chinese reporters to a 90-day period, with the possibility for extension. Such visas are mostly open-ended and do not need to be outstretched unless the employee moves to a different company or medium.
“The new rules will not apply to journalists with passports from Hong Kong or Macau, China’s two semi-autonomous territories,” according to DHS.
Credit____ REUTERS
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