U.S. halts professional exchange programs across China after harassment

HONG KONG - The United States has halted recruitment in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao for its professional exchange programs following harassment of prospective participants by Chinese authorities, sources familiar with the matter told Kyodo News.

The pause in recruiting Chinese candidates for short-term, government-sponsored visits to the United States came into effect in late July, but it did not affect the American Institute in Taiwan, which carries out programs on behalf of Washington in the self-governed territory that Beijing claims as its own, they said.