US Imposes Visa Restrictions on Chinese Officials Over Tibet Access Ban

Secretary of State Marco Rubio cites China’s lack of reciprocity, urges CCP to allow unrestricted access for diplomats and journalists in Tibetan regions

Washington, DC [US], April 1: In a firm diplomatic stance, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced new visa restrictions on Chinese officials responsible for blocking access to Tibetan regions by American diplomats, journalists, and observers. The move, he said, is a response to China’s long-standing denial of reciprocity, even as its own diplomats and state media operate freely in the United States.

“Today, I am taking steps to impose additional visa restrictions on Chinese officials determined to be substantially involved in the formulation or execution of policies related to access for foreigners to Tibetan Areas,” Rubio said in an official statement, referencing the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act of 2018.

For years, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has tightly controlled entry into the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), barring international scrutiny of human rights conditions and suppressing foreign presence. Meanwhile, China’s envoys, journalists, and government-linked entities face no such barriers in the US.

“This lack of reciprocity is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” Rubio declared. “I urge the CCP to immediately address the lack of reciprocity and allow diplomats, among others, unrestricted access to the TAR and other Tibetan areas of China.”

Rubio also highlighted that US diplomats are unable to assist American citizens traveling in Tibet due to the Chinese government’s imposed limitations.

This latest move is part of the broader US strategy to hold China accountable for human rights and diplomatic transparency. It also coincides with rising tensions surrounding Taiwan, as the US State Department condemned a recent CCP directive that encourages Chinese citizens to report supporters of Taiwan independence.

A spokesperson from the department described the policy as “irresponsible and reprehensible,” calling it part of Beijing’s “intimidation campaign” that threatens global freedom of expression, undermines the Indo-Pacific‘s stability, and disrupts the cross-strait status quo.

The escalating measures reflect Washington’s growing concern over Beijing’s increasingly authoritarian posture across its territories and its influence on global democratic norms.