China restricts American reporters after US curbs its media

China wants American journalists working for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post whose credentials are due to expire before the end of 2020 to hand back their press cards within 10 days. The move comes after the Trump administration designated five Chinese media outlets as foreign missions and restricted the number of Chinese who could work for them.

Beijing:China says it will revoke the credentials of Americans at three US newspapers in response to new US restrictions on Chinese media.

In a news release posted online, the foreign ministry said early on Wednesday that China demands American journalists working for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post whose credentials are due to expire before the end of 2020 to hand back their press cards within 10 days.

The Chinese government says they won't be allowed to keep working as journalists in mainland China, Hong Kong or Macao.

The move comes after the Trump administration designated five Chinese media outlets as foreign missions and restricted the number of Chinese who could work for them.

China said that its steps were necessary and reciprocal countermeasures in response to what it called unreasonable oppression of Chinese media in the US.