US is seeking to restrict the stay of journalists from China in the US to just 90 days in the provision of another extension for a similar duration, according to the federal notification.

The proposal of the Departement of Homeland Security is part of a fixed time limit on visas of students, researchers, and foreign journalists in the US. The administration's move has been mentioned in a federal notification.

This may open a new front of the tussle between the USA and China as bilateral relations worsen. Both the countries are locked in a tit-for-tat battle over coronavirus, trade, diplomatic presence on each other's soil.

While the time limit for foreign journalists, in general, has been restricted to 240 days and another extension of a similar period, those for a journalist from China would be issued a visa by the United States just for 90 days, as per the federal notification issued on Friday.

Foreign journalists and their dependents would have to leave the country immediately on the expiry of their I visa or denial of their extension application. Previously, foreign journalists were admitted in the US for the duration of their employment.

Four Chinese State-run media outlets -- Xinhua News Agency, China Global Television Network, China Radio International, and China Daily- were asked to reduce their total staff of 160 Chinese nationals to 100.

In June, the US designated four top state-run Chinese media houses as foreign missions, terming them as propaganda outlets controlled by the ruling Communist Party of China.

It will be interesting to see how China responds to the fresh proposal that is set to come into effect in 30 days.

When the US asked China to shut its embassy in Houston, China had retaliated by asking the US to do the same with its embassy in Chengdu province.

After this, both countries have increasingly chosen to restrict movements of each other's diplomats on their own soil.

Source: PTI