China threatens countermeasures after Trump administration imposes visa limit on its journalists | Today’s news
The Trump administration has announced sweeping changes to visa rules for foreign journalists working in the United States, significantly reducing their length of stay and drawing criticism from press freedom groups and China.
Under a new policy unveiled by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Thursday, visas for foreign journalists will be limited to 240 days (around eight months) instead of allowing them to stay in the country for years under the current “duration of status” system.
Chinese journalists will face even tighter limits, with visas limited to 90 days, a move that has raised tensions between Washington and Beijing.
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Chinese journalists will now face a maximum visa limit of 90 days, severely limiting their time in the US for journalistic work.
The new policy limits foreign journalists’ visas to 240 days, replacing the previous “duration of status” system that allowed indefinite stays if they met eligibility requirements.
China has condemned the visa restrictions as discriminatory and warned of possible reciprocal measures, saying it would have a negative impact on Chinese media organizations operating in the US.
Foreign journalists must apply to extend their visas once their initial period expires, as the new rules require a fixed period of stay instead of an unlimited stay.
Media advocacy groups say the restrictions could hinder press freedom by forcing journalists to go through a cycle of visa renewals, making them cautious about their reporting to avoid rejection.
The new rules are to take effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.
What will change under the new rule?
DHS will eliminate the long-standing “duration of status” system that allowed foreign journalists to remain in the U.S. as long as they continued to meet visa eligibility requirements.
Instead, journalists will be accepted for a fixed period of time, after which they must apply for an extension if they wish to continue working in the country.
Officials said the change will allow the government to conduct more frequent checks on visa holders and ensure their activities remain in compliance with visa conditions.
Chinese journalists face tougher restrictions
The administration imposed an even stricter 90-day visa limit for journalists from mainland China. The rule does not apply to reporters from Hong Kong or Macau.
The decision revives a policy first introduced during Trump’s initial term in office amid escalating tensions between the US and China during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Biden administration later eased those restrictions, allowing Chinese journalists to stay for up to one year.
China threatens reciprocal measures
Beijing has strongly condemned the new visa policy, calling it discriminatory and warning it may respond with similar restrictions.
“China urges the US to immediately withdraw its discriminatory policies targeting Chinese journalists and effectively protect their legal rights and interests in the US,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a daily news conference.
He added: “China reserves the right to take reciprocal countermeasures.”
China said the policy would negatively affect the work of Chinese media organizations operating in the United States.
Press freedom groups condemn the decision
Media organizations strongly criticized the move, saying it threatened press freedom and could discourage independent reporting.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said the decision would make it extremely difficult for international media to operate in the United States.
“We are outraged that the Trump administration has cruelly reduced the duration of visas for foreign journalists from a period of up to five years to a fixed eight months,” the organization said in a statement.
RSF warned that the new system would force journalists into a constant cycle of visa renewals.
“The relentless cycle of visa renewals restricts press freedom as journalists will feel compelled to avoid the administration’s wrath lest their applications be rejected,” he added.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) also condemned the policy, calling it “the behavior of a renegade democracy, not an international vanguard of freedom of expression.”
Part of a broader Trump policy
The visa changes come as President Donald Trump has stepped up criticism of news organizations and taken legal action against several media outlets while tightening immigration rules.
Although foreign journalists are not considered immigrants under US law, the administration argued that shorter visa durations would improve oversight and allow authorities to regularly verify compliance with visa requirements.
A revival of a previous proposal from the Trump era
The first Trump administration proposed ending the “duration of status” system in 2020, but the measure was withdrawn after President Joe Biden took office in 2021.
The renewed policy marks another shift in Washington’s approach to foreign media and is expected to become a new point of contention in already strained US-China relations.
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