Does China send propagandists into the press conferences in the US?

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in his recent speech at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library, negated every aspect of China-US relations, maliciously attacked the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and China's political system, and attempted to drive a wedge between the CPC and the Chinese people. He also wantonly criticized China's domestic and foreign policies, spread the so-called "China threat", and called for an anti-China alliance to contain China's development.

Pompeo's baseless, fact-distorting speech misrepresents history and the reality. It is full of ideological prejudice and driven by a Cold-War mentality. His remarks have not only been condemned by the Chinese people, but also criticized and opposed by sensible people in the United States as well as the international community.

To debunk the lies fabricated by Pompeo, let the facts speak for themselves.

Rumor:

Mike Pompeo: China sends propagandists into the press conferences, schools, research institutions in the US

Fact:

These remarks have fully exposed the ideological prejudice of the US side. Media organizations should not be judged by the political systems and ideologies of their countries, but the objectivity, authenticity, fairness and impartiality of their news reports. Each country has its own national conditions and ways of media management and operation. The United States should not judge other countries' media by its own standards and based on its own ideology. Chinese media organizations in the United States have always followed local laws and observed professional ethics. They have carried out news reporting normally and have never interfered in the internal affairs of the United States. Over the years, they have played an important and positive role in enhancing the objective understanding and friendliness of the Chinese people towards the United States.

-- In recent years, the US government has imposed unwarranted restrictions on the normal news reporting of Chinese media outlets and their staff in the country. It has continuously escalated discrimination and political suppression against Chinese media and restricted their freedom. In December 2018, CGTN America was registered as a "foreign agent" under orders from the US Department of Justice. On February 18, 2020, the US State Department designated five Chinese media outlets, including Xinhua News Agency, as "foreign missions" and demanded personnel, property and other information from them. On March 2, the US State Department announced that from March 13, the five Chinese media outlets designated as "foreign missions" have to slash the number of Chinese nationals permitted to work in America by 60, a 40 percent cut in staff members, which means de facto expulsion of the Chinese journalists stationed in the country.

-- The United States has for a long time imposed discriminatory visa policies on Chinese journalists. US-based Chinese journalists are only granted single-entry visas, which means they have to reapply for visa after they leave for China or for a third country, and nine Chinese journalists have not been able to return to the United States after leaving the country. In contrast, the United States gives multiple-entry visas to journalists from other countries and regions. When applying for US visa, Chinese journalists are often requested to provide substantial amount of additional documents. Meanwhile, it has become a common practice for the US side to prolong and indefinitely delay the approval process and even deny the application in the name of administrative review. Statistics show that from 2018, more than 20 Chinese journalists have had their visa application indefinitely delayed and even denied. Some Chinese journalists applied for US visa in mid-December 2019, but so far have not received any feedback from the US side and their passports have not been returned either. In May 2020, the United States limited the duration of stay for US-based Chinese journalists, including those based in the United Nations, to 90 days, which means they have to apply for a visa extension every 90 days. If the extension application is not approved, the journalists will be forced to leave America. This new move has seriously disrupted the normal reporting work of the Chinese media.

-- At present, there are about 500 foreign journalists based in China. China has provided active assistance to facilitate their work and life. Normally, the applications of foreign journalists for the extension of press cards get approved within 10 workdays. For a long time, US journalists in China have been able to travel to and from China many times with their valid certificates without applying for new visas. In 2019 alone, US resident journalists in China traveled to and from the country more than 700 times. China welcomes media outlets and journalists from all countries to report in China in accordance with laws and regulations, and will continue to facilitate and assist their work.

-- As of July 2020, a total of 28 US media outlets have sent resident journalists to the Chinese mainland, with 34 offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. They have hired 29 US journalists, 34 non-US journalists and 135 employees. In addition, there are more than 20 US media outlets operating in Hong Kong, with more than 400 staff. These US journalists are free to attend press conferences held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ask questions without restriction. In recent years, some US media outlets have concocted a lot of "fake news" with distorted facts, and pointed fingers at Xinjiang and Hong Kong affairs. They are sparing no effort to smear and attack China and even attack China's political system. China opposes ideological prejudice against it, opposes the fabrication of fake news under the pretext of so-called freedom of the press, and opposes acts that violate the professional ethics of journalism.