<p>"The foreign journalists were illegally detained, harassed, their equipment seized and at least in one case severely beaten," State Department Spokesman P J Crowley said.<br /><br />"We are deeply concerned that the Chinese authorities did not protect the safety and property of these journalists, and we expect them to hold the perpetrators accountable," he told reporters.<br /><br />The US views had been communicated to Chinese officials, Crowley added.<br /><br />The US Ambassador to China, Jon Huntsman, yesterday met with several American and other foreign journalists in China who were allegedly harassed while reporting in downtown Beijing.<br /><br />Huntsman also spoke to his counterparts within the Chinese foreign ministry, Crowley said.</p>
<p>"The foreign journalists were illegally detained, harassed, their equipment seized and at least in one case severely beaten," State Department Spokesman P J Crowley said.<br /><br />"We are deeply concerned that the Chinese authorities did not protect the safety and property of these journalists, and we expect them to hold the perpetrators accountable," he told reporters.<br /><br />The US views had been communicated to Chinese officials, Crowley added.<br /><br />The US Ambassador to China, Jon Huntsman, yesterday met with several American and other foreign journalists in China who were allegedly harassed while reporting in downtown Beijing.<br /><br />Huntsman also spoke to his counterparts within the Chinese foreign ministry, Crowley said.</p>