London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Sep 15, 2025

New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal urge China to reconsider expulsion of US journalists

A joint letter from three news groups said the media is suffering ‘collateral damage’ from a diplomatic dispute between the two countries

In an unprecedented move, the publishers of three major American newspapers have written an open letter to the Chinese government, appealing to Beijing to reverse its decision forcing out 13 of their journalists.

The publishers of The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and The New York Times said that the government’s expulsion of their journalists working in China was “threatening to deprive the world of critical information at a perilous moment”.

“We strongly urge the Chinese government to reverse its decision to force the Americans working for our news organizations to leave the country and, more broadly, to ease the growing crackdown on independent news organisations that preceded this action,” the publishers wrote, saying that the news media has become collateral damage in a diplomatic spat between the US and China.

On March 17, Beijing’s foreign ministry revoked the press credentials of American journalists from the Times, Post and Journal, giving them each 10 days to return their media passes and effectively expelling them from the country.

Beijing is also requiring the three papers, along with Voice of America and Time magazine, to share information about their staff and operations in China with the government, and has said that it would take further “reciprocal measures” on visas, administrative review, and reporting for American journalists working in the China.

If China goes through with it, the move would be the largest expulsion of journalists from the country in more than 30 years.

Tensions have been rising between the two nations, with each taking turns cracking down on the other’s foreign press.



China’s announcement was widely regarded as retaliation for the Trump administration’s recent decision to designate five Chinese media outlets working in the United States as government entities or “foreign missions” - opening them up to tighter regulation and restricting the number of Chinese nationals they could employ in the US.

In February, China expelled three Wall Street Journal reporters over an opinion-piece headline, “China is the real sick man of Asia”, which it called racist.

Separately last week Beijing also revoked the licenses of Chinese citizens working as researchers and assistants at US media organisations in the country.

Chinese nationals are already not permitted to work in China as reporters for foreign media organisations, but they can be researchers and translation assistants.

In their open letter, the publishers emphasised their reporters’ role in publicising the spread of the coronavirus from its earliest cases in Wuhan, and went to lengths to spotlight their reporters’ often favorable coverage of China’s response to the virus.

“We have prominently featured news and analysis about China’s remarkable progress in reducing the spread of the virus through containment and mitigation,” they wrote.

“Even now, with some of our journalists facing imminent expulsion, they are reporting on how China is mobilizing state resources to develop vaccines that could offer hope to billions of people there and around the world.”

The letter, which was published as a full-page ad in each paper on Tuesday, represents a rare coming together for three major news rivals usually locked in fierce competition. It is the first time publishers of the three papers have made a joint public statement.

“On this matter we speak with a single voice,” wrote Journal publisher William Lewis, Post publisher Fred Ryan and Times publisher AG Sulzberger.

“We believe it is unambiguously in the interests of the people of both countries, as well as their leaders, to let journalists do their work.”

China has not officially responded to the letter and calls and emails to the Chinese embassy in Washington went unanswered on Tuesday.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
×