China on Wednesday defended its decision to expel about 13 American journalists from three major US newspapers, saying it was "compelled" to take countermeasures after Washington classified Chinese state media outlets as foreign missions.
The Chinese government announced that all journalists of US citizenship working with the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post whose credentials were up for renewal this year would have to surrender their press cards within 10 days.
Defending the decision, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told media briefing here on Wednesday that China was "compelled to take countermeasures" to a US move last month to classify Chinese state media organisations as foreign missions and the expulsion of Chinese journalists in the United States.
He said the US order would affect about 60 Chinese journalists.
"China is not the one to start trouble but will not blink if trouble comes its way," Geng said, adding that the US is solely responsible for all the consequences.
China last month also expelled three Wall Street Journal (WSJ) correspondents in retaliation to the newspaper carrying an article with a headline China Is the Real Sick Man of Asia.
US designated Chinese official media including Xinhua news agency, China Global Television Network (CGTN), China Radio International, China Daily as foreign missions, identifying them as agencies controlled by the Chinese government.
China last month expelled three Wall Street Journal (WSJ) correspondents in retaliation to the newspaper carrying an article with a headline "China Is the Real Sick Man of Asia".
China on Tuesday in a tit-for-tat retaliation asked the China-based branches of Voice of America, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post and Time to give details about their staff, finance, operation and real estate in China.
In response to the US slashing the staff size of Chinese media outlets in America, China demanded that journalists of US citizenship working with the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post whose press credentials are due to expire before the end of 2020 notify the Department of Information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within four calendar days starting from Wednesday and hand back their press cards within 10 calendar days.
They will not be allowed to continue working as journalists in China, including its Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, the official announcement said.
While China did not specify the number of American journalists to be expelled, the US media outlets said the Chinese government order would affect about 13 scribes.
"Chinese media have long been covering news following the principles of objectivity, impartiality, truth and accuracy," Geng said, noting that media helped promote mutual understanding, communication and cultural exchange between the two countries.
Significantly Beijing's order covers that Hong Kong and Macao which are Special Administrative Regions with autonomous powers though part of China.
Geng said as per the rules China could exercise authority in this particular case.
"The US has said that all options are on the table. Today, I can also tell the US that all options are on the table for China," Geng said adding that China would take further action if the US did not correct mistakes.
The Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) echoed Geng's comments on Wednesday, stating the countermeasures are legal and reasonable.
The spat over the media adds to growing public spat between world's two largest economies over the origins of coronavirus which surfaced in Chinese city Wuhan in December last.
China takes exception to US President Donald Trump and other officials calling it Chinese virus or Wuhan virus, which Beijing terms an attempt to stigmatise and smear China.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the international community oppose intentional linkage of the virus and specific countries or regions, which is a form of stigmatisation. We urge the US to immediately correct its mistake and stop making unwarranted accusations on China,Geng told media here on Tuesday in response Trump's tweet calling coronavirus as Chinese virus.
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