US Government Reviewing Possible Expulsion of Chinese Journalists... In Response to WSJ Reporter Expulsion

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] The U.S. government is reportedly considering expelling Chinese journalists in response to China’s expulsion of three Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reporters.

On the 24th (local time), Bloomberg News cited sources familiar with the U.S. administration’s discussions, reporting that the talks were led by Matthew Pottinger, Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Council (NSC). The discussions involved intense debate over how strongly to respond to China’s expulsion of WSJ journalists last week. While some participants supported expelling Chinese journalists from the U.S., others said such measures would not be legally justified or consistent with American values of press freedom, according to multiple sources.

In particular, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin reportedly advocated for a more moderate approach, considering cooperation with China to prevent the spread of COVID-19. On the 19th, Pompeo condemned China’s actions, stating, "A free press reports facts and expresses opinions, which mature and responsible nations understand," and added, "The correct response is to present counterarguments, not to suppress speech."

The Foreign Press Association (FPA) expressed concern that if the U.S. follows China’s decision to expel WSJ journalists by expelling Chinese journalists in the U.S., it would backfire and ultimately undermine the First Amendment rights of the entire press community in the U.S.

U.S. government officials estimate that Chinese media, mostly controlled by the government, have over 500 journalists in the U.S., making it difficult to track them all. In contrast, there are currently 75 American journalists stationed in China, where the Chinese government routinely uses measures such as expulsion or visa denial to punish articles it deems unfair, Bloomberg noted.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.