China imposes visa restrictions on US personnel over Tibet

BEIJING (Reuters) -China has announced visa restrictions on some U.S. personnel who have “behaved badly” on Tibet-related issues, its foreign ministry said on Monday.

The announcement at a regular press conference came after Washington imposed additional visa restrictions two weeks ago on Chinese officials involved in policies governing foreigners’ access to Tibetan areas.

The U.S. accused the Chinese Communist Party of refusing to afford U.S. diplomats, journalists, and other international observers access to Tibet and other Tibetan areas of China, and demanded “unrestricted access” to the areas for U.S. diplomats and others.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said Tibet-related issues were China’s “internal affairs” and the “U.S. abuse of visa restrictions on Chinese officials” over Tibet “seriously violates international law and basic norms governing international relations”.

Foreign tourists are allowed to visit the far western region of Tibet providing they travel in groups and obtain a permit in advance. Diplomats and foreign journalists need to get the approval of Tibet’s local authorities to go there.

“Tibet is open. China welcomes friendly people from other countries to visit, travel and do business in Tibet,” Lin told reporters.

“But China opposes the interference of any country or person in Tibetan affairs under the pretext of so-called human rights, religion and culture,” he added.

China seized control of Tibet in 1950 in what it describes as a “peaceful liberation” from feudalistic serfdom.

International human rights groups and exiles, however, have routinely condemned what they call China’s oppressive rule in Tibetan areas.

(Reporting by Xiuhao Chen, Liz Lee and Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Kate Mayberry)