It is obvious that Peiping is seeking to use the issue of news representatives in an effort to force the United States into a formal agreement to improve the prestige of the Chinese Communist regime. The U.S. position is simply that ample provisions already exist under the law to permit the "equal and reciprocal" travel of newsmen to each country. The fact that the Peiping regime has not yet allowed any of their journalists to apply for a U.S. visa casts substantial doubt on their professed concern for reciprocity. In July 1959 one American news representative was refused a visa on the grounds that it was "not convenient at this time". It is also known that the requests of several reputable free world journalists other than American have been either turned down or ignored in recent months. Therefore. on the basis of the situation as of today. the Department of State is obliged to conclude that Communist China. despite its statements. has no serious Interest at this time in either the travel of its own newsmen to the United States or the travel of American newsmen to the China mainland.