China Plans Visa Restrictions for US Visitors with 'Anti-China' Links

China Plans Visa Restrictions for US Visitors with 'Anti-China' Links

China plans to restrict travel for some visitors from the United States, the Reuters news agency reported Wednesday.

Reuters reports that China plans to create a visa “blacklist” for people linked to the U.S. military and Central Intelligence Agency, as well as for people working for certain human rights groups. China’s National Immigration Administration did not immediately answer Reuters’ request for comment.

The restrictions come during rising concern in China that the U.S. and other countries are helping to incite anti-government protests in mainland China and Hong Kong.

The move would follow new U.S. visa restrictions announced this week against Chinese government and Communist Party officials.

On Tuesday, the U.S. announced travel restrictions on officials believed to be involved in the detention and abuse of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in China’s far-western Xinjiang area.

Observers say between 1 and 3 million Muslims minorities have been detained in so-called re-education camps. China has also effectively turned all of Xinjiang into a police state, with block-by-block security checkpoints and spy cameras.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday urged China to end its “campaign of repression” in Xinjiang and release those detained in the camps. He said the visa restrictions “complement” recent actions taken by the U.S. Commerce Department.

The department on Monday placed 20 Chinese public security bureaus and eight major technology companies on a U.S. trade blacklist. The companies include Hikvision, the world’s largest maker of video surveillance supplies. Also included is SenseTime, the world’s most valuable artificial intelligence startup.

The U.S. accused the companies of being involved in China’s “campaign of surveillance, detention, and repression” in Xinjiang.

On Wednesday, China’s foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the U.S. should immediately “correct its wrongdoing.”

Geng said the U.S. visa restrictions “seriously violate the basic norms governing international relations.” He added “Xinjiang affairs are purely China’s internal affairs.”

I'm Ashley Thompson.

Ashley Thompson adapted this story based on reports from Reuters. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor.

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Words in This Story

blacklist - n. a list of people, organizations, etc., that are disapproved of or that are to be punished or avoided

certain - adj. particular members of a group

complement - v. something that completes something else or makes it better

surveillance - n. the act of carefully watching someone or something especially in order to prevent or detect a crime

internal - adj. existing or located on the inside of something​

affairs - n. a matter that concerns or involves someone