Beijing says US policy change for Chinese diplomats violates international law

China protests over move that requires State Department to be notified of meetings with officials and visits to educational and research institutions

Embassy in Washington claims decision breaches the Vienna Convention

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Analysts say the new requirement for Chinese officials is not likely to change Beijing’s treatment of foreign diplomats in China. Photo: Reuters

Published: 7:00pm, 17 Oct 2019Updated: 10:53pm, 17 Oct 2019

Beijing on Thursday protested against a US decision to order Chinese diplomats to notify the State Department before meeting local officials, saying the move was “groundless” and violated international law.

Washington announced on Wednesday that Chinese embassies and consulates in the US needed to provide advance notice for meetings with American officials and for official visits to educational and research institutions, in a bid to push Beijing to ease restrictions on US diplomats in China.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Beijing opposed the move and had made a “solemn representation” to Washington.

“The State Department is making additional conditions and barriers for Chinese diplomats to carry out their normal work,” Geng said in a daily press briefing. “China supports US diplomatic staff in China to carry out normal duties, and will provide assistance for that.”

Washington’s move is a bid to push Beijing to ease restrictions on US diplomats in China. Photo: Reuters

Geng’s call for the US to scrap the move came after the Chinese embassy in Washington claimed on Twitter that the policy violated the Vienna Convention, an international treaty defining diplomatic relations between countries.

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