BEIJING: The United States and China imposed visa restrictions on each other in tit-for-tat moves over their disagreement on Tibet, adding fuel to the diplomatic fire between the superpowers.
China announced Wednesday its curbs on people from the US who "behave badly" on Tibet-related issues, in retaliation for American curbs unveiled a day before.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday he was taking action against an unspecified number of officials under a new US law that presses China to let Americans visit the far west region, renewing a call for "meaningful autonomy" in the predominantly Buddhist area.
"Unfortunately, Beijing has continued systematically to obstruct travel to the Tibetan Autonomous Region and other Tibetan areas by US diplomats and other officials, journalists and tourists, while PRC officials and other citizens enjoy far greater access to the United States," Pompeo said in a statement.
Pompeo restricted visas to Chinese officials determined to be "substantially involved" in the exclusion of foreigners from Tibetan areas.
The State Department declined to name the officials or say how many people were affected, citing US confidentiality laws.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian expressed China's "firm opposition" to the move and urged the US to "immediately stop interfering in China's internal affairs through Tibet-related issues".
"In response to the wrong actions of the US, China has decided to impose visa restrictions on US personnel who behave badly on Tibet-related issues," he said, warning of further damage to US-China relations and cooperation.
Amid high tension with China, the United States has increasingly been issuing such visa sanctions, earlier taking action over Beijing's clampdown on free expression in Hong Kong and its incarceration of some one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim Turkic minorities.
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