BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The All-China Journalists Association Thursday issued a statement voicing strong condemnation and firm opposition to the oppressive and discriminatory measures taken by the United States against Chinese journalists based in the country.

A series of discriminatory measures taken by the U.S. side against Chinese media organizations and journalists in the country have laid bare the fact that the U.S. side's so-called "freedom of the press" is bald-faced "double standards" and bullying, said the statement.

In recent years, the U.S. side has escalated its oppression against Chinese media organizations, taken discriminatory measures against visa applications of Chinese journalists, and imposed restrictions on their interviews in the United States with all sorts of excuses, it said.

These moves have severely infringed on the rights of Chinese journalists to conduct normal and legal news reporting and severely damaged the reputation of Chinese media organizations and journalists, said the statement.

The association urged the U.S. side to immediately stop the political oppression based on Cold War mentality and ideological prejudice, rectify the misdeeds that infringe on the legals rights and interests of Chinese journalists based in the country and provide guarantee for the normal operation of Chinese media organizations and the normal work of Chinese journalists.  ■