At least 13 journalists will be forced to leave China following Beijing’s unprecedented move to ban from the country American reporters working for three major news outlets

All US journalists employed by theNew York Times, theWall Street Journal, and theWashington Postwhose press credentials are due to expire before the end of 2020 have been given 10 days to hand in their press cards.

They will be not allowed to work in mainland China, nor in Hong Kong or Macau.

#China is compelled to take countermeasures against some #US media outlets in China after US' unreasonable suppression of Chinese media in the US. Neither the cause nor the responsibility lies with China, and if any US media has a grievance, it can address it to the US govt: FM pic.twitter.com/7GBdGLamAL — Global Times (@globaltimesnews) March 18, 2020

China has portrayed the move as being made in retaliation to the US government’s restrictions on five Chinese state media outlets, which have been labeled “foreign missions” and have been made to limit the number of Chinese nationals on staff in the US, forcing dozens of workers to be sent back home.

The ban was announced near midnight on Tuesday, immediately sending shockwaves across the foreign press community — at least to those who were still awake.

In the morning, the Foreign Correspondents Club issued a statement condemning the move.

“There are no winners in the use of journalists as diplomatic pawns by the world’s two pre-eminent economic powers,” the statement reads. “Journalists illuminate the world we live in. China, through this action, is dimming itself.”

FCCC Statement on the Mass Cancellation of U.S. Journalist Credentials in China pic.twitter.com/YSYMWxBdSb — Foreign Correspondents' Club of China (@fccchina) March 18, 2020

The FCCC said that at least 13 reporters will be affected by the action, noting that it comes in the wake of numerous other attacks made against foreign correspondents in recent years.

Prior to this move, China had effectively expelled a total of nine foreign journalists since 2013. Others have had their visas denied while more than a dozen correspondents have been given shortened visas in just the past year.

Since the start of 2020, three have even been given visas that expire after one month.

Just last month, China expelled three Wall Street Journal reporters over an opinion piece headline which it found offensive that the newspaper refused to apologize for.

Those who will be forced to leave the country include Gerry Shih of the Washington Post who is now looking for someone to take his flat.

Great Beijing sublet available with sweeping views of 13 c. Drum Tower, western hills, 5 min walk from Line 2, pet friendly. Please inquire (really) https://t.co/RIlkCDsuUt — Gerry Shih (@gerryshih) March 17, 2020