Pompeo warns China against interfering with work of US journalists in Hong Kong

Amid worsening relations with China, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Beijing has threatened to interfere in the work of American journalists in Hong Kong. The top US diplomat warned that any decision impinging of Hong Kong’s autonomy would inevitably impact American assessment of the status of the semi-autonomous region.

“Any decision impinging on Hong Kong’s autonomy and freedoms as guaranteed under the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law would inevitably impact our assessment of One Country, Two Systems and the status of the territory,” said Pompeo.

US and China have been at the loggerheads over freedom of journalists in each other’s territory, especially after Beijing expelled three American journalists in March. Pompeo said that the journalists working in Hong Kong are members of a free press and not propaganda cadres, adding that their valuable reporting informs Chinese citizens and the world.

Last week, the Chinese media questioned the “press freedom” of the US after the United States introduced new regulations over the entry of journalists from mainland China. Xinhua News, China’s official state-run news agency, attacked the US for alleged suppression of media and “hegemonic bullying”. Taking to Twitter, Xinhua tweeted a picture asking whether the US’ “freedom of the press” means “free to suppress”.

The United States has tightened its grip over the entry of Chinese journalists in the country by introducing new regulations which enable the government to limit the visas for reporters from the mainland for at least 90 days with an option of further extension. While announcing the new rule, the US Department of Homeland Security had cited China’s “suppression of independent journalism”. 

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'Insane and evasive'

Chinese media has been aggressive towards the policies of Trump administration and accusations levelled on Beijing over the coronavirus outbreak. Recently, Chinese state broadcaster had lambasted Pompeo for his comment on the origin of the novel coronavirus, who had claimed that there is “significant amount” of evidence that the virus originated from a laboratory in Wuhan.

Calling Pompeo’s remarks “insane and evasive”, the state broadcaster hosted a show titled “Evil Pompeo is wantonly spewing poison and spreading lies”. The commentary cited WHO executive director Mike Ryan and Columbia University virologist W. Ian Lipkin to emphasise that the deadly virus is of natural origin and not man-made.

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(Image credit: AP)