Foreign press in China say travel to Tibet remains restricted

While foreign media outlets were granted some limited access to the Tibet Autonomous Region in 2015, China still rejected roughly three-quarters of the reporters who sought permission to visit last year, according to a new survey by the Foreign Correspondents Club of China (FCCC).

“Although China may be ‘opening up’ — ever so slightly — in allowing more China-based foreign reporters to visit Tibet in groups, the region remains effectively closed to outside media coverage,” the FCCC said as it released the study.

The report found that China allows foreign journalists to visit Tibet only on government-approved trips, employs an opaque process for selecting those who can join these trips, and restricts reporters’ freedom of movement while there.

The survey was sent in January to 177 members of the Beijing-based club and 351 non-members. The full report is available to members at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China’s website. CPJ has posted the report online for public access. The latest findings can be viewed here.