‘Devastatingly Dangerous Spiral’: Editors Condemn China’s Decision To Expel U.S. Journalists After Trump Imposed Limits
China announced it would expel American journalists and demand they hand back their press cards, announcing the decisions “are entirely necessary and reciprocal countermeasures ... in response to the unreasonable oppression the Chinese media organizations experience in the U.S.” The news organizations have also reported in the past year on other issues deemed extremely sensitive by Chinese officials,
The New York Times:
China Announces That It Will Expel American Journalists
In a sharp escalation of tensions between the two superpowers, China announced on Tuesday that it would expel American journalists working for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. It also demanded that those outlets, as well as the Voice of America and Time magazine, provide the Chinese government with detailed information about their operations. The announcement, made by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, came weeks after the Trump administration limited to 100 the number of Chinese citizens who can work in the United States for five state-run Chinese news organizations that are widely considered propaganda outlets. (Tracy, Wong and Jakes, 3/17)
Reuters:
China Expels American Journalists As Spat With U.S. Escalates
China withdrew the press credentials of American journalists at three U.S. newspapers on Wednesday, intensifying a bitter fight between the world’s top two economies over the spread of coronavirus and press freedoms. (Munroe, Pamuk and Coster, 3/17)
The Associated Press:
Coronavirus Rocks Already Strained Ties Between US, China
Badly strained ties between the United States and China are deteriorating further with the two sides hurling harsh accusations and bitter name-calling over responsibility for the spread of the novel coronavirus. The global pandemic is just one in a series of irritants that has rocked the relationship between Washington and Beijing since the Trump administration began to step up long-simmering confrontations on issues ranging from territory to trade to high-tech telecommunications. (3/18)
