(Translated by Adrian Chan-Wyles PhD)
Translator’s Note: This article was passed to me by my friend and colleague Prof. Zhao Yuezhi (趙月枝). This article is an ‘official’ Chinese Government Statement regarding China’s response to the unjust and illogical US sanctions carried-out against China by the rightwing Trump Administration. Although too polite to say it themselves, the Chinese Government limits its criticism to ‘procedural errors’ committed by the US Government (as if the issues are only ‘diplomatic incidents’) when in reality the United States is deliberately pursuing a ruthless and ‘racist’ policy toward China, which demonises China as a country, and each Chinese person as an individual. Chinese politics, morality, culture and self-determination are all a priori depicted as ‘inferior’ and ‘corrupt’ – as if China is a permanent manifestation of ‘evil’ as defined in the Judeo-Christian Bible. This fascistic attitude causes legal and economc irregularities at the international, national and local levels, and encourages non-Chinese people to respond to Chinese people with a racist disdain that is justified by US domestic and foreign policy. In the meantime, China’s path toward Socialism continues undisturbed with the US having virtually no answer to these giant strides made by Communist China in the fields of science, technology and economics. ACW (19.3.2020)
In recent years, the US government has imposed unreasonable restrictions on the normal news reporting activities of Chinese media agencies and personnel in the United States, and has acted unreasonably. It has continuously escalated (and applied) discrimination and political suppression toward the Chinese media. In December 2018, the US Government ordered all relevant Chinese media agencies America to to registered as a “foreign agents”. Then in February 2020, these 5 Chinese media agencies had to register as “foreign missions”and then took measures to limit the number of Chinese newsagencies to just ‘5’ in the United States, as well as the number of reporting and support staff. China immediately made solemn representations to the US regarding its wrongdoing, expressed its firm opposition and strong condemnation, and stressed that it reserves the right to respond with similar draconian measures.
China announces that from today:
1) With regards to the 5 Chinese media agencies operating in the United States that hafe been forced to be listed as “foreign missions” hostile to the United States. The American counter-parts operating in China have been identified as:
“Voice of America”, “New York Times”, “Wall Street Journal”, “Washington Post”, and “Time”.
These 5 US media offices operating in China are to report to the Chinese Authorities all written materials such as staff details, finances, operations, and real estate information relevant to China.
2) In response to the significant reduction of Chinese staff numbers operating in the United States – and the actual deportation of employees of Chinese media agencies from the United States – the China Government requires all American journalists working for New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post – shall experience the expiration of all their press passes by the end of this year (regardless of the previous validity). All press passes must be immediately returned to the Department of Information and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for processing (and investigation) within 10 days. In the future, due to the unprofessional behaviour of the US Government, the US media outlets and their colluding staff, none these employees currently working in China for the US will be allowed to continue to work as a journalist in the People’s Republic of China, including Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions.
3) In view of the US’s discriminatory restrictions on visas, administrative review, and interviews of Chinese journalists – China will take reciprocal measures against U.S. journalists.
4) The above-mentioned measures by the Chinese Government are a necessary counter-reaction to the behaviour of the US Government and its suppression of Chinese media agencies in the United States, which are has forced China to carry out such completely legitimate actions of self-defense. The US approach toward Chinese media is based primarily upon Cold War thinking and ideological prejudice. This policy is designed to seriously damage the reputation (and image) of the Chinese media, seriously affects the normal operation of the Chinese media in the United States, and severely disrupts the normal ‘humane’ exchange that has existed previously between China and the United States. This unreasonable behaviour of the US exposes its so-called self-proclaimed “freedom of the press” as nothing but hypocrsy. China urges the United States to immediately change its course correct its mistakes, and stop political suppression and unreasonable restrictions on the Chinese media. If the US insists on lonesome policy of idiocy, adding wrong to wrong, then China will surely take further countermeasures.
China’s basic national policy of adhering to opening up has not changed, nor will it change. We always welcome foreign media and reporters (from various countries) to engage in interviews and make reports in China, in accordance with the laws and regulations – and will continue to provide assistance and make the process easy. What we are opposed to is ideological prejudice against China. We are opposed to the US generating ‘fake news’ and protecting this process through the so-called ‘freedom of the press’. We are opposed to acts that violate journalistic ethics. It is hoped that the foreign media (and journalists) will play an active role in promoting mutual understanding between China and the world.
Original Chinese Language Article:
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/7SW1CxXlPBoTKpvIvrRuBw
中方对美反制！
近年来，美国政府对中国媒体驻美机构和人员的正常新闻报道活动无端设限，无理刁难，不断升级对中国媒体的歧视和政治打压，特别是2018年12月美方要求有关中国媒体驻美机构注册为“外国代理人”，2020年2月将5家中国媒体驻美机构列为“外国使团”，随即又对上述5家媒体驻美机构采取人数限制措施，变相大量“驱逐”中方媒体记者。中方第一时间就美方错误做法向美方提出严正交涉，表达坚决反对和强烈谴责，并强调保留做出反应和采取措施的权利。
中方宣布，自即日起：
第一，针对美方将5家中国媒体驻美机构列为“外国使团”，中方对等要求“美国之音”、《纽约时报》、《华尔街日报》、《华盛顿邮报》、《时代周刊》这5家美国媒体驻华分社向中方申报在中国境内所有工作人员、财务、经营、所拥有不动产信息等书面材料。
第二，针对美方大幅削减、实际驱逐中国媒体驻美机构员工，中方要求《纽约时报》、《华尔街日报》、《华盛顿邮报》年底前记者证到期的美籍记者从即日起4天内向外交部新闻司申报名单，并于10天内交还记者证，今后不得在中华人民共和国，包括香港、澳门特别行政区继续从事记者工作。
第三，针对美方对中国记者在签证、行政审查、采访等方面采取歧视性限制措施，中方将对美国记者采取对等措施。
中方上述措施完全是对美方无理打压中国媒体驻美机构被迫进行的必要对等反制，完全是正当合理防卫。美方有关做法专门针对中国媒体，是基于冷战思维和意识形态偏见，严重损害中国媒体的声誉和形象，严重影响中国媒体在美正常运作，严重干扰中美正常人文交流，暴露其自我标榜的所谓“新闻自由”的虚伪性。中方敦促美方立即改弦更张、纠正错误，停止对中国媒体的政治打压和无理限制。如果美方一意孤行，错上加错，中方也必将采取进一步的反制措施。
中国坚持对外开放的基本国策没有改变，也不会改变，我们始终欢迎各国媒体和记者依法依规在中国从事采访报道工作，并将继续提供便利和协助。我们反对的是针对中国的意识形态偏见，反对的是借所谓新闻自由炮制假新闻，反对的是违反新闻职业道德的行为。希望外国媒体和记者为促进中国与世界的相互了解发挥积极作用。
THE SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 
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