China to restrict visas for US visitors with ‘anti-China’ links

China plans to impose visa restrictions on Americans working for U.S. intelligence services and human rights groups that are seen by the country as being “anti-China.”

The move follows similar restrictions the United States announced Tuesday directed at Chinese government and Communist Party officials suspected of being involved in the detention and human rights abuses of millions of Uighur Muslims.

Employees of U.S. military and CIA-linked institutions and human rights groups will be added to a visa blacklist, Reuters reported.

“The plan has been widely discussed by senior police officers over recent months, but made more likely to be implemented after the Hong Kong protests and the U.S. visa ban on Chinese officials,” a source said.

Tensions between China and the U.S. are already heightened amid a trade war and worries about national security.

[Read more: NBA widely criticized for buckling to China over tweet supporting Hong Kong protests]

Related Content