China state media hails budget cuts affecting two US news outlets

China's state media has hailed funding cuts to two American media outlets said by Beijing to have a "long track record of poor reporting on China issues".

- Aw Cheng Wei

The operations of the Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA) look to be in limbo after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on March 14 to dismantle a federal agency responsible for their funding.

The United States Agency for Global Media is considered an arm for US diplomacy, and China has long complained that reports by its titles, particularly RFA and VOA, have undermined China's security concerns and pursuit of its economic interests overseas.

On March 18, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning declined to comment on the cuts made to the two outlets at a regular press conference but remarked on their "poor reporting on China issues".

This comes after Chinese state media had welcomed news of the predicament of the two news outlets, which have reported extensively on alleged human rights abuses in China.