China warns of reciprocal countermeasures after U.S. shortens foreign journalist visas

Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/china-warns-of-reciprocal-countermeasures-after-u-s-shortens-foreign-journalist-visas Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter China warns of reciprocal countermeasures after U.S. shortens foreign journalist visas Politics Jul 17, 2026 1:25 PM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration announced Thursday it will drastically shorten visas for foreign journalists in the U.S. to 240 days, down from years, and cut those for Chinese journalists to only 90 days, raising concerns over press freedom in the United States and prompting China to warn of possible reciprocal countermeasures. The rule announced by the Department of Homeland Security will do away with the "duration of status" system, which allows foreign journalists to stay and work in the United States as long as they meet eligibility requirements. That will be replaced with a fixed period of time, though the visas may be extended. The agency says it's necessary to better vet the visa holders. But advocates for foreign journalists oppose the change, saying the drastically shorter stay would severely restrict their ability to live and work in the States. READ MORE: New York Times files motion to quash subpoenas served on journalists over Air Force One coverage The even shorter visa rule for Chinese journalists, which does not include those from the "special administrative regions" of Hong Kong or Macao, is particularly harsh and could add tensions to the already fraught relations between Washington and Beijing, despite both leaders stating they intend to stabilize ties. The decision comes at a time when President Donald Trump is targeting news organizations with multiple threats and legal actions at home and his administration is tightening immigration policies, though foreign journalists are not considered immigrants. Journalism organizations denounce the decision The rule will take effect 60 days after it's published in the Federal Register. Congress can reject a rule, but it's extremely rare. "We are outraged that the Trump administration has cruelly limited the duration of visas for foreign journalists from a period of up to five years to a fixed eight months," the advocacy group Reporters with Borders said in a statement. "This change destroys international journalists' ability to report from the U.S. and makes it extremely difficult for international outlets to operate here at all." "The relentless cycle of visa renewals restricts press freedom, as journalists will feel compelled to avoid drawing the administration's ire, lest their applications be rejected," it said. READ MORE: What to know about Trump's $100,000 H-1B visa fee, and the legal rebuke that followed The Committee to Protect Journalists released a statement calling the new visa policy "the behavior of a backsliding democracy, not the international vanguard of free speech." In proposing the change in August 2