China announces new rules for US diplomats
BEIJING — China has announced new restrictions on the activities of U.S. diplomats working in mainland China and Hong Kong, in what it called a justified response to similar measures imposed on Chinese diplomats in the U.S. last year.
In a statement posted online late Friday, a foreign ministry spokesperson said the rules would apply to senior diplomats and all other personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and consulates throughout China.
However, the spokesperson said China supported “normal exchanges and cooperation between all sectors of the two countries,” and that the restrictions could be lifted if the U.S. were to revoke the measures it imposed last October.
“Once again we urge the U.S. side to immediately correct its mistakes and lift the unreasonable restrictions imposed on the Chinese Embassy and consulates and their staff,” said the unidentified spokesperson. “China will make reciprocal responses to U.S. actions.”
No details were given about the new restrictions. U.S. diplomats already face limits on which parts of China they can visit, even college campuses. The U.S. rules require Chinese diplomats to report travel and meetings in what was seen as an attempt to prevent interference within the overseas Chinese community and foreign students.
The rules were recently tightened further to require that Chinese diplomats not only notify the State Department of their plans to travel and meet with academics or state and local government officials, but also first obtain its permission to do so.
The U.S. argued that China already imposed the same requirements on American diplomats.
The U.S. Embassy in Beijing said it had no immediate comment on the new regulations.