Beijing‘s consensus with Washington on media issues

Good news for journalists

On Tuesday evening Beijing time, China News Service published the following article in Chinese (pasted at the end):

According to information from relevant departments, China and the United States reached three points of consensus on media issues before the video meeting between the heads of state on November 16th.

First, the two sides mutually guarantee that current resident journalists can travel normally to and from each other's countries under the premise of complying with anti-epidemic regulations.

The second is the U.S. side's commitment to issue one-year multiple-entry visas for Chinese journalists and will immediately start domestic procedures to resolve the issue of visas for Chinese journalists. The Chinese side, on the other hand, will, in accordance with the principle of reciprocity, grant the same visa and length of stay treatment to U.S. media reporters in China once the U.S. policy measures are in place.

Third, both sides will reciprocally approve visas for new resident journalists in accordance with laws and regulations.

For a long time, Chinese journalists in the U.S. have held only single-entry visas, which is very inconvenient. When some Chinese journalists return to their home country for meetings or family visits, they encounter great difficulties returning to their posts in the U.S.

On the treatment of each other's media in each other countries, the two sides for more than a year conducted arduous consultations with both struggles and cooperation, which can be described as 不打不相识 "out of blows friendship grows/no discord, no concord". Reaching the current three points of consensus is not easy, which is good news for journalists on both sides, but also reflects the new normal of reciprocity and parity between the United States and China.

As long as both sides communicate calmly and in the spirit of mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit, it is possible to accomplish something mutually beneficial. It is hoped that the cooperation between China and the United States will bring more good news to the media of both countries. (End)

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In case you have missed it, earlier today, Pekingnology published a roundup of the video meeting between Presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden.

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The article published by China in the Chinese language:

据向相关部门了解，中美双方在16日元首视频会晤前，就媒体问题达成三项共识。

一是双方相互保障现任常驻记者在遵守防疫规定前提下可以正常往返对方国家。

二是美方承诺为中国记者颁发一年多次入境签证，并将立即启动国内程序解决中国记者签证停留期问题。中方则将本着对等原则，在美方政策措施到位后，给予美国驻华媒体记者同等的签证和停留期待遇。

三是双方将依法依规对等审批新任常驻记者签证。

长期以来，中国驻美记者持有的都只是一次有效入境签证，非常不方便，有的记者甚至回国开会、探亲就很难再回到驻美工作岗位。此次双方就彼此媒体在对方国家待遇问题进行了一年多艰苦的磋商，有斗争也有合作，可谓“不打不相识”，取得目前三点共识非常不容易，这对双方记者来说都是利好消息，也从一个侧面体现了当前中美对等、平视的新常态。

只要双方本着相互尊重、平等互惠的精神，心平气和地沟通，是能够做成一些互利互惠的事情的。希望中美合作为两国媒体带来更多好消息。(完)