From Financial Times:
A senior official of China’s Xinhua News Agency has cited “numerous violations” of tax and other laws by foreign counterparts as justification for rules banning them from dealing directly with local clients.
The rules, which also give Xinhua the power to censor news and information distributed in China by foreign news agencies such as Reuters and Bloomberg, have prompted strong condemnation from media freedom groups and expressions of concern from the US and the European Union.
Yuan Xiaoping, deputy director of Xinhua’s central administrative office, offered assurances that it would not disrupt the operations of foreign counterparts or profit from control over their businesses. But his mention of legal violations will be seen as adding to pressure on international agencies. [Full Text]
