BEIJING, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- A reporter was denied credentials as a New York Times reporter because his former employer did not submit notice of his resignation, Chinese officials say.
Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was asked about Chris Buckley's status at a news conference, Xinhua, the official government news agency, reported. Some news media had reported that Buckley left Beijing for Hong Kong Monday, the last day of 2012, because he had not received a 2013 visa.
"The New York Times claimed Chris Buckley as its Beijing correspondent, but as we all know, he has been holding credentials for another foreign media outlet for years," Hua said.
Buckley was a Beijing correspondent for Reuters. Hua said that Reuters has not filed a notice of Buckley's departure and his press card was not returned so officials do not know who "his real boss is."
