@zlj517: 1. The US is ignoring basic facts and blaming others while the US is to be blamed for the visa problem journalists face. It is the US that has been escalating political repression of Chinese news outlets.
2. US launched rounds of political suppression against Chinese media in hysteria. Since 2018, US has delayed &even denied visas of 30 Chinese journalists. US forced some Chinese media outlets to register as “foreign agents” & “foreign missions”, & expelled 60 Chinese journalists.
3. US then limited visas for all Chinese journalists to a 90-day stay. The visas of these Chinese journalists expired on August 6, and they have applied for visa extension. But US hasn’t granted visa extension to any of them, placing their work and life in enormous uncertainties.
4. China has stayed in talks with the US to solve the problems faced by journalists. We have exercised restraint and have not taken countermeasures even when the US cut our journalists’ stay to 90 days.
5. China will never be intimidated by the US coercion with visa extension denials of Chinese journalists and maximum pressure by taking the journalists “hostage”. We urge the US to show sincerity. All options are on the table. We have to make legitimate response if necessary.
6. US resident journalists in China don’t agree with US government in oppressing Chinese media for political purposes, waging a “war of media” and using media of the two countries as pawns in a game.
7. If US does care about its journalists, it should extend visas for Chinese journalists as soon as possible rather than hijack this issue to serve the political interests of certain politicians.
8. What the US has done gravely interferes in normal assignment, damages the image of Chinese news outlets and obstructs people-to-people exchanges. Such discrimination & maximum pressure show double standard and only expose hypocrisy in claiming freedom of press.
9. The fact is that the press card renewals for CNN and other US media journalists are being processed. Before they get the renewal, their reporting and life in China will not be affected in any way. We’ve already informed the US side of this.