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China unblocks Reuters, Wall Street Journal

China unblocked the Chinese-language websites of Reuters and The Wall Street Journal over the weekend, Tech in Asia reports.

The English versions of the sites were never blocked, but the Chinese versions were blocked in November. Both sites were blocked as the news organizations followed up on unflattering reports of Chinese elites.

The relationship between foreign media and the Chinese authorities has been fraught lately. Along with blocking websites, the Chinese have been pressuring various news organizations and refused to issue visas to foreign journalists. The New York Times, along with other organizations, asked Vice President Joe Biden to take up their case with the Chinese vice president during a December meeting.

While China has taken some steps forward with foreign reporters — unblocking websites, granting press cards to Bloomberg correspondents, etc. — it has taken a step back with its own. The government is now requiring Chinese journalists to take classes and pass a new ideology exam in order to keep their press cards.