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China repeated that it might take measures if Washington didn’t renew visas for Chinese journalists working within the U.S., amid questions over whether or not it can make a tit-for-tat transfer towards American reporters in Hong Kong.
“We learned that relevant Chinese journalists applied for visa extensions but none of them have received a clear reply from the U.S. side,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin advised a day by day briefing in Beijing on Thursday, echoing feedback he made earlier this week.
“If the U.S. is bent on going down the wrong path, China will take necessary and legitimate measures to defend its interests.”
Speculation over the longer term visa standing of U.S. journalists working in Hong Kong mounted this week following on-line posts by Global Times editor-in-chief Hu Xijin {that a} quantity of Chinese journalists would see their visas expire on Aug. 6, and “none of them” had but been renewed.
“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,” Hu wrote Tuesday on Twitter. “If that’s the case, Chinese side will retaliate, including targeting US journalists based in HK.”
The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Hong Kong stated Thursday that it “opposes using journalists’ visas as a weapon in international disputes.”
The membership “is aware of recent examples of delays involving the issuing of visas to foreign journalists in Hong Kong, as well as suggestions by the Chinese government that more foreign journalists could face repercussions in response to U.S. actions,” it stated in a press release.
“The FCC calls on the Trump administration to lift its restrictions on Chinese media working in the U.S., and on Hong Kong and China’s governments to refrain from retribution in targeting U.S. media and journalists working in Hong Kong,” it stated.
Hong Kong’s capability to find out its personal immigration coverage has been undermined in recent times, and any squeezing of journalists within the monetary hub might gas a broader escalation in tensions between the U.S. and China.
“We said many times that the U.S. caused the current situation and is responsible for it,” stated Wang, the Foreign Ministry spokesman. “The U.S. should immediately correct its mistakes and stop its political oppression against Chinese journalists.”
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