China Imposes Visa Curbs On US Officials Over Tibet

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China imposes visa curbs on US officials over Tibet

Beijing has asked Washington not to interfere in China’s internal affairs after the US put travel restrictions on Chinese officials visiting their country.

BEIJING: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-July 8th, 2020) In response to the US ban on Chinese officials to travel to far greater areas of the country, Chinese authorities imposed visa restrictions on US personnel over issues related to Tibet here on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference at China’s Foreign Office in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian asked the US not to interfere in China’s internal affairs through Tibet-related issues.

He expressed China’s strong reaction over recent statement made by Secretary of the State Mike Pompeo.

Mr. Lijian said: “In response to the wrong actions of the U.S., China has decided to impose visa restrictions on U.S. personnel who behave badly on Tibet-related issues,” giving clear warning to the US for further damage to bilateral relations and cooperation.

The US amid high tension with China issued visa sanctions on Chinese officials to condemn China’s move to curb freedom of expression in Hong Kong, incarceration of some one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim Turkic minorities.

On Tuesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that a new law was introduced which demanded China to allow Americans to visit the far west region, renewing a call for meaning autonomy in the predominately Buddhist area.

During his press conference, Pompeo restricted visas to Chinese officials determined to be "substantially involved" in the exclusion of foreigners from Tibetan areas. Beijing put ban on travel to the Tibetan Autonomous region and other Tibetan areas by the US diplomats and other officials, journalists and tourists. On other hand, Chinese officials and other citizens had freedom and far greater access to the US, said Pompeo.

However, the Statement department did not mention the Names of the officials or the numbers of the people affected by the latest move.