China has refrained from renewing the expiring press credentials for journalists from US media outlets, two of the affected news organisations reported, amid an ongoing tussle with the United States over journalist visas.

The move comes as Chinese journalists in the US wait for their lapsed work visas to be renewed. The Chinese journalists have been allowed to stay in the US during a 90-day grace period that expires in early November, according

to people familiar with the matter.

The Wall Street Journal’s Jeremy Page, a Briton, and American journalist David Culver from CNN were issued letters allowing them to continue working in China with their expired press credentials, the two outlets reported respectively.

Culver was told the arrangement had nothing to do with his reporting but was a “reciprocal measure” in response to the Trump administration’s treatment of Chinese journalists, CNN reported.

The WSJ reported that authorities had indicated that renewal of the press passes would depend on what happened with Chinese journalists in the US.

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Monday on Twitter that “we would be glad to continue our excellent cooperation with the US journalists here if Chinese journalists are treated fairly in the US.”

“#CNN journalist and a few other US journalists’ visa extension applications are being processed, during which they can continue to live and work here with no problems at all”, she added.

Visas allowing foreign journalists to live in China are linked to their press credentials.