In early April, China’s official People’s Daily broadsheet slammed the Trump regime’s unacceptable restrictions imposed on the country’s journalists in the US.
It called hostile US actions a “clumsy performance (that) further exposed the hypocrisy of the self-styled advocate of press freedom.”
The State Department imposed onerous visa restrictions on Chinese journalists, denying entry or expelling some for political reasons.
In 2018, 29 Chinese journalists were denied US visas without explanation. Nine others had their visas revoked.
Chinese journalists in the US are harassed, denied press passes to Congress and various Capitol Hill events, some interrogated like criminal suspects — their legitimate rights denied.
In December 2018, the Trump regime’s Justice Department designed Chinese media in the US as “foreign agents,” — requiring them to provide information about their finances and activities on a regular basis.
In mid-February, the State Department designed five Chinese media in the US as “foreign missions,” imposing onerous burdens on them — including the requirement to get approval for renting or buying housing accommodations for their staff.
In March, the State Department ordered designated Chinese media in the US to reduce their staff to 100 from 160 — expelling 60 journalists from the country.
On Friday, the Trump regime’s Homeland Security Department issued new visa guidelines for Chinese journalists, restricting them to 90 days, in lieu of open-ended entry, with an option to extend them for another 90 days.
The new policy applies as well to Chinese journalists working for non-Chinese media. It’s effective on May 11.
According to an unnamed DHS official cited by Reuters, the new policy aims to limit the number of Chinese journalists in the US.
Unacceptably treating them like fifth column threats virtually assures retaliation by Beijing.
An unnamed Chinese journalist who used to work in the US called the Trump regime’s new move an “expulsion” policy, adding:
Up to now, it’s been “difficult to renew a visa every three months” because of US hostility toward Beijing.
China Institute of International Studies research fellow Zhang Tengjun slammed how Washington operates, saying:
“The US has long labeled itself as valuing ‘freedom of the press,’ but its actions were full of hypocrisy.”
“The new policy speaks of the double standard being practiced by US politicians.”
“They continuously stress on Chinese journalists’ official background to find an excuse for cracking down on Chinese reporters’ normal reporting activities in the US.”
Trump’s China bashing policy aims to boost his troubled reelection campaign.
Most polls conducted in early May showed his approval below 45%, disapproval over 50%.
His indifference toward public health, mishandling of COVID-19 outbreaks, and economic collapse that left tens of millions of Americans without work may be his undoing in November.
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Award-winning author Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected]. He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG)
His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”
http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
Featured image is from South China Morning Post
