China Pushes Back Against U.S. Rule Monitoring Diplomatic Visits

(Bloomberg) -- The U.S. State Department’s new requirement that China give official notice before its diplomats visit universities and research institutions or meet with local government officials violates the Vienna Convention governing relations between countries, according to the Chinese embassy in America.

“According to Article 25 of the Vienna Convention, the receiving State shall accord full facilities for the performances of the functions of the mission,” the Chinese embassy said on Twitter. “But the U.S. side is doing exactly the opposite.”

The State Department said the restrictions were a reciprocal action because its officials are forced to seek permission for such meetings and often denied access in China. But Beijing denied that in a separate post by the Chinese embassy in the U.S, saying it doesn’t place such requirements on American diplomats and consular officers.

The State Department said the move could affect as many as 50 meetings a week. The U.S. embassy in Beijing did not immediately respond to an email seeking clarity on the rules its diplomats have to abide by in China.

“China has consistently supported U.S. diplomatic missions in China in carrying out normal official activities and provided the necessary facilities,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters in Beijing on Thursday. “The U.S. saying that China restricts U.S. diplomats is simply untenable. We urge the U.S. to correct its mistakes, withdraw the relevant decisions, and provide support and convenience for the activities of Chinese diplomats in the U.S.”

The move comes as the U.S. and China work toward getting a partial trade deal ready for leaders Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to sign at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit next month in Chile. At the same time, the world’s two biggest economies have clashed over pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, with China threatening to retaliate if the U.S. enacts legislation supporting the protesters.

The State Department’s move echoes an earlier request by the U.S. Justice Department for China’s state-owned broadcasters to register as foreign agents. The designation increased regulation of the organizations, more in line with the strict scrutiny foreign news organizations face in China.

--With assistance from James Mayger and Dandan Li.

To contact Bloomberg News staff for this story: Sharon Chen in Beijing at schen462@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: John Liu at jliu42@bloomberg.net, Daniel Ten Kate, Jon Herskovitz

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With assistance from Bloomberg