The arrest order was issued Wednesday, according to Zhao's lawyer Mo Shaoping, who added it is an indication that authorities intend to prosecute the case, Taiwan's China Post reported.
Zhao, a researcher for the New York Times, was detained Sept. 17 after the paper published the news that former President Jiang Zemin would resign from the country's top military post days ahead of the formal announcement.
The newspaper has denied that Zhao was the source of the article, and says that Chinese authorities have not contacted the paper in connection with the incident.
The arrest comes days ahead of a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, due to arrive in Beijing Sunday. Powell reportedly raised the case during a meeting last month with China's foreign minister.
In response to a U.S. State Department expression of concern over the implications for foreign media in China, China's Foreign Ministry warned that "outside forces should not interfere" in the case.
Copyright 2004 by United Press International
