China is imposing restrictions on the work of American diplomats in the PRC in response to similar measures against employees of Chinese diplomatic missions in the United States, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian.
Earlier, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Washington is imposing restrictions on the work of Chinese diplomats in the United States, now they will need to obtain permission from the country’s authorities to visit university campuses and hold cultural events for more than 50 people outside their diplomatic buildings. According to him, the Chinese authorities “have imposed serious obstacles for American diplomats working in the PRC for several years,” including restrictions on holding meetings, especially on college campuses.
“In order to get the United States to reverse its erroneous actions as soon as possible, the Chinese side recently sent a diplomatic note to impose retaliatory restrictions on the activities of the US diplomatic missions in China, including the US Consulate General in Hong Kong, and their personnel,” said Zhao Lijian, quoted on the website departments.
He pointed out that the relevant measures apply to both high-ranking diplomats and other personnel of diplomatic missions.
Zhao Lijian recalled that on September 3, the Foreign Ministry already reported that since October last year, the US State Department has repeatedly imposed restrictions on Chinese embassies, consulates and their personnel.
“US actions seriously violate international law and basic norms of international relations, create serious obstacles to Sino-US relations and normal bilateral exchanges,” the diplomat said.
At the same time, the diplomat said that “the above measures of China are a legitimate and necessary response to the erroneous actions of the United States.”
According to a spokesman for the department, “China once again calls on the United States to immediately correct its mistakes and lift unreasonable restrictions on the activities of Chinese diplomatic missions and their personnel in the United States.”
“China will give an equivalent response in line with US actions,” he added.
Discussion about this post