Biden meets with journalists concerned about China"s recent crackdown on ...

Some of the affected journalists expressed hope that with Biden personally lending his weight and potential loss of face to their cause, the chances that their visas would be granted at the last minute would increase.

Ten journalists from the New York Times and at least 14 at Bloomberg News have not yet received visas to remain in China, according to one journalist briefed on the Biden meeting. In addition to the Times and Bloomberg, other media organizations represented at the meeting with Biden included the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times and Reuters news agency.

Biden reportedly registered his concerns directly with Xi during a wide-ranging bilateral meeting a day earlier, and he publicly denounced the practice of intimidating journalists in a speech to U.S. business executives Thursday morning in Beijing.

“Innovation thrives where people breathe freely, speak freely, are able to challenge orthodoxy, where newspapers can report the truth without fear of consequences,” Biden said during his remarks. “We have many disagreements, and some profound disagreements, on some of those issues right now, in the treatment of U.S. journalists. But I believe China will be stronger and more stable and more innovative if it respects universal human rights.”

The Chinese government has threatened not to issue or renew work visas for journalists from the New York Times, Bloomberg News and other organizations in the wake of critical stories. And the Times reported last month that Bloomberg editors killed two stories out of fear that the company’s journalists would be expelled, an allegation that Bloomberg officials denied.

The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Reuters and Financial Times all have Chinese Web sites or services that have been blocked off and on over the years. London-based Reuters was believed to have been included in the meeting with Biden because American reporter Paul Mooney was refused a visa after waiting eight months to begin a new assignment in China for the agency.

In New York, Times executive editor Jill Abramson said in a statement Thursday: “Unfettered coverage of China is a crucial issue at a time when it is such an important and compelling story. We have made a major commitment to covering China and are eager that our staff can continue to work there normally.”

A Bloomberg spokeswoman in Singapore declined to comment.

China has long held up visas or denied them to reporters in an effort to retaliate for coverage critical of ruling Communist Party officials, but U.S. reporters say the practice has grown more intense under Xi, who assumed the presidency in March. Instead of individual reporters being targeted, entire news organizations are facing threats that they will be kicked out of the country, the journalists said.

Biden meets with journalists concerned about China"s recent crackdown on ...

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