BEIJING—The Chinese regime defended its decision on March 18 to expel American journalists from three U.S. newspapers and bar them from working in Hong Kong, saying the measure falls within the central government’s purview over diplomatic affairs.
In the early hours of Wednesday, Beijing announced the expulsion of the journalists as retaliation for U.S. actions against Chinese media organizations, sharply escalating a tit-for-tat between Beijing and Washington over press freedom.
