U.S. Puts Restrictions on Five Chinese State Media Outlets
- Xinhua, China Daily among entities declared ‘foreign missions’
- U.S. officials say Xi taking more direct control of outlets
Pedestrians walk past a vandalized entrance to the offices of Xinhua News Agency following a protest in Hong Kong, China, on Nov. 3, 2019.
Photographer: Chan Long Hei/BloombergThe U.S. designated five Chinese media companies as “foreign missions,” a decision that reflects the Trump administration’s view that the communist party of Xi Jinping is imposing increasingly draconian government-control over news services, senior State Department officials said.
The State Department’s foreign mission designation includes Xinhua News Agency, China Global Television Network, China Radio International, China Daily Distribution Corp. and Hai Tian Development USA, the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Tuesday. The designation requires the outlets to adhere to requirements similar to those imposed on embassies and consulates in the U.S., including registering their current properties and getting prior approval for any acquisitions of new ones, the officials said.