The complex relationship between the U.S. and China has taken a new turn: both countries have taken reciprocal actions regarding journalists. The United States revoked the visa of a Chinese citizen working for the state-run Xinhua News Agency after China expelled a correspondent for The New York Times.
This information was reported by The Independent, citing sources from Ukrinform. A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department confirmed that this decision was made in response to Beijing’s actions.
The expulsion of correspondent Vivian Wang followed her participation in an interview with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te at the DealBook Summit 2025. During the event, Taiwan was referred to as a country, which drew China’s displeasure. Lai also criticized Beijing’s aggressive actions in the Taiwan Strait.
China considers Taiwan its territory and calls Lai Ching-te a “separatist,” not ruling out the possibility of military intervention.
As The Independent notes, this is a rare instance of a direct U.S. response to China’s actions regarding American journalists. The New York Times expressed concern and called for the reinstatement of Wang’s accreditation.
Executive Editor Joseph Kang noted that such actions only hinder access to objective information about China’s economic power, as the number of American correspondents in the country is dwindling.
