China, US Agree Deal On Access For Journalists

China and the United States will ease restrictions on access for journalists from each other's countries, official media on the mainland and the US State Department said on Tuesday.

The official China Daily cited unidentified foreign ministry sources as saying that a consensus on journalist visas, among other points, was reached before a virtual summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US counterpart Joe Biden.

Tensions between the world's top two economies on issues ranging from tech and trade to human rights and the coronavirus spilled over into the media sector last year.

Beijing accused Washington of a "political crackdown" on Chinese journalists after it sharply reduced the number of Chinese nationals allowed to work at the US offices of major state-owned media and limited their authorised stay to 90 days, with an option to extend.

Beijing then expelled US journalists from several US newspapers and introduced new visa restrictions on some US media companies.

Under the consensus reached, the United States will issue one-year multiple-entry visas to Chinese journalists, China Daily said, adding that the Chinese side has committed to granting equal treatment to US journalists once the US policies come into force.

Both countries will issue visas to journalists based on applicable laws and regulations, it said, adding that journalists will be able to depart freely and return under strict compliance with Covid-19 protocols.

A spokesperson for the US State Department gave similar details, saying China had committed to permit US journalists already in the country to depart freely and return, which they had previously been unable to do. It said the United States planned to facilitate similar treatment for Chinese journalists.

"We welcome this progress but see it simply as initial steps," the spokesperson said, adding in reference to the People's Republic of China: "The media environment in the PRC has deteriorated significantly in recent years."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reuters)