China expels three Wall Street Journal journalists over controversial opinion piece `

China expels three Wall Street Journal journalists over controversial opinion piece


Published on Feb 19, 2020


China is revoking the press credentials of three Wall Street Journal reporters,... and telling them to pack their bags after the paper published a controversial op-ed.
For more on this and other news from around the world, let's turn to our Yoon Jung-min.
Jung-min, give us details.
Se-min, it's highly unusual for China to officially kick out international journalists.
However, China says it is revoking the press cards of three Wall Street Journal reporters.
Beijing's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters Wednesday,... that the revocation was due to an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal,... titled "China is the real sick man of Asia."
It's a piece by U.S. academic Walter Russell Mead,... and it's critical of the Chinese government for its handling of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The spokesman said the editors used a "racially discriminatory title",... and triggered indignation among the Chinese people.
Those expelled are Deputy Bureau Chief Josh Chin and reporter Chao Deng, both U.S. nationals,... and Philip Wen, an Australian national.
They have been ordered to leave China within five days.
The Foreign Correspondent's Club of China says,... it's the largest single expulsion of foreign correspondents from China in more than 30 years,... and the first outright expulsion since 1998.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo denounced Beijing's move,... urging the need for freedom of the press.
He said the correct response for mature, responsible countries is to present counter arguments, not restrict speech.
In fact, the Chinese move is seen as retaliation against the United States.
U.S. officials announced Tuesday,... that they would treat five major Chinese state-run media companies,... as extensions of the Chinese government.
They are Xinhua, CGTN, China Radio International, China Daily and People's Daily.
Those outlets will now have to get U.S. government approval to buy or lease offices in the U.S.
They will also have to register personnel lists with the State Department.