Been thinking about the Chinese gov's expulsion of some US journalists b/c it is directly relevant to a book I'm writing on how authoritarian states manage their image for foreign audiences (indeed, there's an entire chapter on foreign correspondents in China). A few thoughts:

While the proximate & public justification for these measures is US-China tensions, a response to awful Trumpist racism, the WSJ "sick man" headline, ect., the issue is much deeper. It's not as if China was an ordinary environment for foreign correspondents before this.

The CCP has a long history of trying to cultivate positive relationships with sympathetic journalists (e.g. Edgar Snow) to get its story out, and of putting restrictions on independent foreign journalists. @Anne_MarieBrady 's 2003 book on this is great: https://www.amazon.com/Making-Foreign-Serve-China-Perspectives/dp/0742518612

Laws for foreign media organizations were liberalized in 2008 relative to the more draconian 1990 regulations, but still the visa requirements are used to police content & Chinese nationals working for foreign media orgs are screened & put under pressure. http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/ywzn/mtyw/press_1/t944225.htm

The government's practices to control independent foreign journalists go beyond these written laws. Correspondents are spied upon, detained, harassed, their sources and Chinese colleagues pressured, ect. This @fccchina report details a lot of that: https://www.dropbox.com/s/gky8352xue74kuh/control-halt-delete.pdf?dl=0

Party officials, especially at higher levels, are disciplined when it comes to foreign journalists. They rarely deviate from the party line, leak information, and needless to say there is no functional FOIA. This means that the party can control access to information & narrative.

Entire "sensitive" areas of the country are formally off limits (e.g. Tibet); others are closely monitored (e.g. Xinjiang, North Korean border area); dissidents are monitored; all of which limits information available to journalists & increases risks they must take to obtain it.

So, there was already a formidable system attempting to police the messages that come from China. But then why take the expulsion steps now? Obviously this is embedded in the harder line on censorship & propaganda under Xi and his emphasis on foreign-facing propaganda.

But I also tend to agree with those like @mcgregorrichard & @thomaswright08 & @BethanyAllenEbr and others who have been arguing that this is probably something the CCP has wanted to do for a while and currently has the confidence and power to do with minimal repercussions.

The CCP has tried to create a false dichotomy between its (party/state-controlled) journalists abroad & foreign (editorially independent, non-state controlled) journalists in China. I'm not sure most casual observers will pierce the difference: it looks like tit-for-tat w/ US.

Unfortunately, I'm not as optimistic as some who argue that this will ultimately harm the CCP. The info environment in China writ large, yes, but the party, I doubt it. Independent foreign journalism is more of a thorn in its side than a benefit.

Furthermore, actions like boost a signal to other foreign media outlets that has always been there but will be amplified: run afoul of the CCP and you're out. European citizens and outlets may be next. The CCP wants control over its narrative and these actions fit that aim.

So I'd expect more of this, and I'd expect even further investment in China's external propaganda apparatus like @CGTNOfficial @XHNews ect., along with more junket/training programs for "friendlier" outlets, to fill the information void. It'll be propaganda-rich and info poor.

Finally it's a shame. I've learned a lot from the reporting of ppl from these outlets like @HernandezJavier @paulmozur @suilee @gillianwong @joshchin @austinramzy @natashakhanhk @JNBPage & many others who may be directly affected. They do great work & we'll know less b/c of this.