U.S. designates Chinese state media as ‘foreign missions’
The Washington Post reports:
The State Department on Tuesday designated five Chinese media outlets as official government entities under the Foreign Missions Act, meaning they will treated as though they are diplomatic outposts of the Chinese government and subject to the same constraints.
The media outlets are:
- Xinhua News Agency;
- China Global Television Network (CGTN), the international arm of state broadcaster CCTV;
- China Radio International;
- The China Daily newspaper;
- Hai Tian Development, a U.S. company linked to the People’s Daily.
The Washington Post says that move is “likely more symbolic than punitive.” Status as foreign missions will require the Chinese entities to provide and regularly update staff lists, and get State Department approval to purchase or lease any real estate. The designation does not carry any restrictions on what these entities can report on, or publish and broadcast about.
—Jeremy Goldkorn
