China has expelled a journalist working for The New York Times. The expulsion has immediately been framed by some Western media outlets as another chapter in Beijing’s ongoing assault on “press freedom”.

The headlines are sensational, and the storyline is comfortably familiar to audiences drip-fed a constant anti-China narrative.

There is only one problem: reality does not conform to the template.

The latest controversy centers on The New York Times correspondent Vivian Wang, who was ordered to leave China earlier this year. The newspaper has portrayed the decision as retaliation for an interview conducted with secessionist-minded Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te for the newspaper’s annual DealBook summit.

Yet as Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian has pointed out, the issue is not merely an interview. It is that The New York Times provided a prominent platform for separatist narratives and even falsely referred to China’s Taiwan region as a “country”, directly contradicting the one-China principle and the three Sino-US joint communiques that serve as the political foundation of China-US relations.

When Chinese authorities object to US media coverage they believe is intended to undermine the country’s territorial integrity and the political foundation of Sino-US diplomatic relations, the reaction in some quarters in the US is to pretend that such objections are moving the goalposts and are of no relevance or significance.

As Lin stated, during the correspondent’s tenure in China there have been documented instances of reporting misconduct that violated Chinese regulations on foreign journalists, and the revocation of her residence permit was carried out in accordance with the law and due procedures.

And what is striking is how little outrage exists among US commentators regarding the other side of the coin.

The New York Times editorial statement passionately urges improved conditions for US journalists in China. But where is the equivalent call when Chinese journalists face restrictions in the United States?

Lin pointed to years of discriminatory treatment against Chinese media organizations and journalists operating legally in the US. Chinese reporters have consistently faced visa uncertainty, administrative hurdles and political scrutiny under the banner of national security and reciprocity.

In 2020, Washington imposed significant restrictions on major Chinese State media organizations and reduced the number of journalists permitted to work in the US. Chinese journalists continue to report difficulties obtaining approvals that many of their US counterparts routinely receive.

Curiously, these developments rarely inspire the same emotional editorials from US media about the free flow of information.

Apparently, press freedom is a global principle that only applies to US journalists abroad and is a “national security” issue when Chinese journalists are trying to work in the US.

US media institutions often demand that China create a more welcoming environment for foreign correspondents while their silence is deafening when it comes to the cold shoulder shown to Chinese reporters by the US government.

The Vivian Wang incident has been framed as a “morality play” featuring obvious “heroes” and “villains”. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman’s response paints a more complicated scenario — involving facts selectively ignored by US media institutions.

Those complexities may not fit neatly into a headline. But they are part of the story.

And until they are willing to acknowledge them, the loudest voices in the debate may continue missing the most important part of it.