China to expel journalists from three major US media outlets
China has announced it will expel journalists from three US media outlets, in a major escalation of tensions with Washington, CNN reports.
The decision, effective immediately, will require US nationals working for the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal to return their press accreditation within 10 days, if their credentials expire before the end of 2020.
In recent years, China has issued journalists with limited 12-month visas, meaning the decision could substantially impact all three news organizations. It is not immediately clear how many journalists will be affected.
In an unprecedented move, the government said that as well as being barred from conducting reporting in mainland China, they will also not be allowed to do so in the semi-autonomous cities of Macao or Hong Kong, preferred destinations for journalists previously blocked by Beijing.
The decision comes less than a month after the US designated five Chinese state media outlets as "foreign missions" and capped the number of Chinese journalists working for those outlets in the United States.
"In recent years, the US government has placed unwarranted restrictions on Chinese media agencies and personnel in the US, purposely made things difficult for their normal reporting assignments, and subjected them to growing discrimination and politically-motivated oppression," China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Wednesday.
China announced other countermeasures on Wednesday that will take effect immediately.
Countering US designation of five Chinese media outlets as "foreign missions," China now requires the China offices of Voice of America, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post and Time to file written reports on all their staff rosters, finances, operations and property holdings.
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