Journalists In HK Hitting 'unusual' Visa Issues: FCC

The Foreign Correspondents’ Club (FCC) said on Thursday that reporters in the city were experiencing "highly unusual" visa problems, and called on China and the United States to stop using the media as a political weapon.

In a statement the FCC said multiple media outlets had reported delays in getting visas in recent months. 

"The delays have affected journalists of multiple nationalities and in some cases have prevented journalists from working," it said. 

"The delays are highly unusual for Hong Kong, a city with historically robust press protections," it added.

The difficulties come as Washington and Beijing clash over reporter credentials. The Trump administration placed visa and headcount restrictions on some Chinese media in the US, all of whom are state-controlled. 

Beijing responded with tit-for-tat restrictions, including expelling a group of reporters from multiple US outlets who were also banned from working in Hong Kong, an unprecedented move.

The FCC condemned the restrictions placed by both sides. 

"The FCC opposes using journalists' visas as a weapon in international disputes and also opposes taking action against journalists for the decisions made by their home countries," it said.

"This downward spiral of retaliatory actions aimed at journalists helps no one, not least of all the public that needs accurate, professionally produced information now more than ever," it added.

The New York Times, AFP, CNN, the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg and the Financial Times are among multiple media organisations with regional headquarters there. 

Last month, The New York Times was the first to go public with its difficulties, announcing it would relocate some of its Asia hub to South Korea after multiple delays and at least one outright rejection. (AFP)