China places new restrictions on American diplomats

BEIJING – China said Friday it will now require U.S. diplomats to give five days’ notice before holding meetings with Chinese officials and academics in retaliation for a similar restriction by Washington.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a daily briefing that the rule was a direct response to Washington’s move in October to require all Chinese diplomats to preregister for meetings with officials down to the municipal level as well as visits to educational and research institutions.

Hua said the U.S. should “correct its mistakes, revoke the relevant decision, and provide support and convenience for Chinese diplomatic and consular staff in the U.S. to perform their duty.”

The tit-for-tat restrictions come amid a trade war between the world’s two largest economies and U.S. allegations that China’s massive telecommunications technology provider Huawei poses a security threat to Western democracies.