U.S. Revokes Xinhua Journalist Visa After China Expels NYT Reporter

The Government of China expelled New York Times correspondent Vivian Wang from Beijing in February 2026, a move the U.S. government countered by revoking the visa of a Chinese national working for the state-run Xinhua News Agency. The expulsion followed a December 2025 DealBook Summit interview with Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, during which the host referred to Taiwan as a country and Lai warned of Chinese aggression in the Taiwan Strait.

While Wang did not participate in the interview, The New York Times reports her removal followed a campaign of harassment and threats, with Beijing also citing her coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and censorship. The newspaper publicized the expulsion after Beijing refused to let Wang resume her full-time assignment, despite granting a short-term visa for coverage of Donald Trump's May visit to China.

The Presidential Office of Taiwan condemned the action as transnational repression and an attempt to silence President Lai. Spokeswoman Karen Kuo stated the move highlights Beijing's suppression of press freedom and its role as a source of instability. New York Times executive editor Joseph Kahn called the decision wrong and urged Wang's reinstatement, noting that the number of American correspondents in China has fallen to an alarmingly low level. These events follow a mid-May summit where President Xi Jinping warned that the U.S. and China could clash over Taiwan.