Chinese authorities have issued instructions dated on Monday directing news services not to offer any live streams of the US Presidential Debate, according to China Digital Times (CDT).

Live streams which had already begun were to be “immediately terminated,” the instructions from the Beijing Network Management Office said. The directive was obtained by CDT, which says that the wording and dates of directives leaked to them may not be exact as they are sometimes communicated orally to journalists and editors.

Clinton and Trump in debate. Photo: Twitter video screencap.

The first of three presidential debates between candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump took place on Tuesday morning Hong Kong time.

China was a term that came up again and again in the debate as the two debated over the economy and trade, climate change, cybersecurity, and terrorism, among other topics. Clinton said Trump previously claimed that climate change was a hoax invented by China for their benefit, while Trump denied having said so.

The next two debates will occur on October 9 and 19. The election will take place on November 8, 2016.