US Launches Big Diplomatic Attack on China, Imposes Visa Restrictions on Officials in Tit-For-Tat Move

Washington DC: Launching a major diplomatic attack on China amid the ongoing tariff war, the United States has imposed visa restrictions on Chinese officials. This is a tit-for-tat move that comes after the access of the US citizens to the Tibetan areas was limited by China.

Know all about the tiff between US and China over access to the Tibetan areas and how this will affect the ongoing trade war, due to imposition of tariffs…

US Imposes Visa Restrictions on Chinese Officials in Tit-for-Tat Move

In response to access of US diplomats, journalists and international observers to the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) and other Tibetan areas of China being limited, the United States has now imposed several visa restrictions on Chinese officials. The reason behind this tit-for-tat move is that while the US citizens have been facing difficulty to enter the Tibetan areas, the Chinese officials have been enjoying unrestricted access to the US.

Also Read: China, Japan, South Korea Join Hands Against US Tariffs

The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced this decision with a statement, quoted by ANI, “Today, I am taking steps to impose additional visa restrictions on Chinese officials determined to be substantially involved in the formulation or execution of policies related to access for foreigners to Tibetan Areas, pursuant to the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act of 2018.”

He added, “For far too long, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has refused to afford US diplomats, journalists, and other international observers access to the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) and other Tibetan areas of China, while China's diplomats and journalists enjoy broad access in the United States. US diplomats are also unable to provide services to US citizens traveling in Tibet.”

“This lack of reciprocity is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. I urge the CCP to immediately address the lack of reciprocity and allow diplomats, among others, unrestricted access to the TAR and other Tibetan areas of China”, his statement further said. 

How Will the Visa Move and Ongoing Trade War Affect US-China Relations?

The relationship between the United States and China has been a mix of both good times and times of tension and friction. In the past few years, economic and defence matters have brought in new challenges between the two countries, but despite these issues, Donald Trump and Xi Jinping have shared a warm and friendly relationship. The ongoing trade war between the US and China with tariffs being imposed under Trump's ‘America First’ policy, and now the visa move may spark a diplomatic war between the two countries. 

Ahead of the imposition of Trump's reciprocal tariffs on the trading partners from April 2, the US President has hinted at the possibility to reduce the tariffs on Chinese imports. Responding to the threats, China has said that while it expects US to “return to the right track of dialogue and cooperation at an early date”, it is also “ready to fight till the end” if “war is what the US wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war”.