China and the United States will permit journalists and other media workers to freely move between both countries on the condition they strictly comply with COVID-19 control protocols.
Easing media visa controls was one of three points agreed between the two sides ahead of Tuesday's virtual meeting between President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden.
It was agreed that the U.S. will issue one-year multiple-entry visas to Chinese media workers and will immediately initiate a process to address "duration of status" issues.
Based on the principle of reciprocity, the Chinese side commits to granting equal treatment to U.S. journalists immediately after the relevant U.S. policies come into force, the sources said.
Previously, Chinese media workers had to reapply for a one-year U.S. visa if they left for a short period or to visit family in China. In May last year, U.S. authorities even limited the visa period for Chinese journalists to no more than 90 days, requiring them to apply for an extension every three months.
