US announces visa restrictions on Chinese officials over access to Tibet

Mike Pompeo says the US will press China to preserve the 'religious, cultural, and linguistic identity' of Tibet.

The US has announced new visa bans on senior Chinese officials involved in restricting access to foreigners to the sensitive region of Tibet, opening another point of friction amid tense relations between Washington and Beijing.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he was taking action against an unspecified number of Chinese officials, including from the ruling Communist Party, under a US law that calls on China to let Americans visit Tibet.

"Today I announced visa restrictions on PRC (Peoples Republic of China) officials involved in restricting foreigners' access to Tibet. We will continue to seek reciprocity in our relationship," Pompeo tweeted on