US retaliates against China's expulsion of journalist; Beijing demands protection for Chinese reporters

(Central News Agency, Taipei, June 3) Following the Xi-Trump summit, China and the US have been expelling each other's resident journalists. In response to the US emphasizing this administration's firm commitment to freedom of speech, China's Foreign Ministry responded today, stating that Chinese media in the US are being politically labeled, and the US should guarantee the 'legitimate rights and interests' of Chinese journalists working and living normally in the US.

China expelled New York Times Beijing correspondent Wang Yue-mei due to dissatisfaction with the newspaper's exclusive interview with President Lai Ching-te. The New York Times reported on May 29 that the Trump administration had revoked the visa of a Chinese citizen working for the Chinese Communist Party's official media outlet, Xinhua, in the US, calling it a retaliatory move to counter China's earlier decision to expel the newspaper's journalist.

Voice of America reported that a US State Department spokesperson said in a statement that this administration has the strongest commitment to freedom of speech. 'We will continue to insist on building a relationship with China based on fairness and reciprocity, and prioritize the American people. We cannot accept China's continued unequal treatment of American media, nor will we accept any actions by Chinese authorities to silence American media.'

The spokesperson also said that China has long imposed onerous restrictions on foreign journalists working in China, including those working for US media outlets. Journalists widely report experiencing harassment, surveillance, and intimidation, especially when reporting on topics the Chinese Communist Party considers sensitive.

According to The Paper, in response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated at a regular press conference today, 'The US talks about reciprocal treatment, which is precisely China's concern.'

She claimed, 'The US is the initiator of the China-US media issue.' Since the two sides reached three consensus points, China has 'fully implemented' them, providing visas and other conveniences for US journalists to report in China. 'However, the normal reporting rights of Chinese journalists in the US have been severely restricted. Almost no Chinese journalist has obtained an opportunity for an in-person interview at the White House. Visa and residence permits are often delayed without reason, many journalists have been forced to return to China, and applications for short-term visas and short-term reporting trips by Chinese journalists to the US are rarely approved.'

Mao also stated that Chinese media in the US are being labeled politically as 'foreign agents' and 'foreign missions.' The US should take concrete actions to implement the bilateral consensus and protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese journalists working and living normally in the US. (Editor: Lu Chia-jung / Yang Sheng-ju) 1150603