It was only a few months ago that Liz Truss, perhaps best known until recently for her strong feelings about the “disgrace” that is imported cheese, was appointed foreign secretary. Some had questioned Truss’s suitability for the role given a patchy record in the cabinet, but the liberty-loving minister has seemingly already made a mark on the global stage. While Downing Street was battling further claims over alleged lockdown-breaching parties, Truss was the recipient of two eye-catching reviews of her performance at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Over…
Tag: Media
Hong Kong’s Citizen News to close citing fears for staff safety
The Hong Kong independent online news portal Citizen News has said it will cease operations from Tuesday in the face of what it described as a deteriorating media environment in the Chinese-ruled city and to ensure the safety of its staff. “Regrettably, the rapid changes in society and worsening environment for media make us unable to achieve our goal fearlessly. Amid this crisis, we have to first make sure everyone on the boat is safe,” Citizen News, which was established in 2017, said in a statement. Pro-democracy activists and rights…
Outspoken editor of Chinese state tabloid Global Times retires
A Chinese state tabloid editor who became a leading voice of strident nationalism with millions of social media followers has announced his retirement. A self-described former pro-democracy protester turned outspoken newspaper editor, Hu Xijin helped usher in a new era of brash, assertive nationalism under the president, Xi Jinping. In a social media post on Thursday, Hu said he had stepped down as editor-in-chief of the Global Times, which is owned by the ruling Communist party’s flagship newspaper the People’s Daily. The 61-year-old wrote to his 24 million followers on…
Journalists in China face ‘nightmare’ worthy of Mao era, press freedom group says
Xi Jinping has created a “nightmare” of media oppression worthy of the Mao era, and Hong Kong’s journalism is in “freefall”, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF). In a major report released on Wednesday, the journalism advocacy group detailed the worsening treatment of journalists and tightening of control over information in China, adding to an environment in which “freely accessing information has become a crime and to provide information an even greater crime”. “No matter the topic, those who refuse to comply with the official narrative are accused of harming…
Disney+ channel launches in Hong Kong, without the Simpsons Tiananmen Square episode
An episode of the Simpsons in which the cartoon American family visit Tiananmen Square is absent from Disney’s streaming channel in Hong Kong, at a time when authorities are clamping down on dissent. The missing episode adds to concerns that mainland-style censorship is becoming the norm in the international business hub, ensnaring global streaming giants and other major tech companies. The Hong Kong version of Disney+ started streaming this month and customers soon noticed that an episode of the Simpsons featuring China was absent. Episode 12 of season 16, which…
‘Little Britain’: Chinese media weigh in on reports of spat between Liz Truss and UK envoy
An official Chinese newspaper has weighed in on an alleged spat between the British foreign secretary and the UK’s ambassador to China, suggesting Liz Truss was “a radical populist” and quoting Chinese internet users calling the UK “Little Britain”. The alleged row between Truss and Caroline Wilson, the British ambassador to China, was first reported by the Times early this month. A Truss ally reportedly recalled a conversation last year between her and Wilson who, according to the source, asked why the UK could not treat China “like we treat…
China and US agree to ease restrictions on journalists
China and the US have agreed to ease restrictions on each other’s journalists amid a slight easing of tensions between the two sides. The official China Daily newspaper said on Wednesday that the agreement was reached ahead of the virtual summit between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and US president Joe Biden held a day earlier. Under the agreement, the US will issue one-year multiple-entry visas to Chinese journalists and will immediately initiate a process to address “duration of status” issues, China Daily said. China will reciprocate by granting equal treatment…
Beijing Winter Olympics committee denies blocking foreign media
Beijing’s Winter Olympics organising committee has rejected accusations that journalists have been blocked in their attempts to cover preparations for the Games. Earlier this month the Foreign Correspondents Club of China (FCCC) accused the Chinese authorities of “continuously stymying” attempts by foreign media to cover the Winter Olympics due to begin near the Chinese capital in February. In a scathing statement, the FCCC alleged a pattern of authorities denying or ignoring requests for access, and following, harassing and abusing journalists. It contained several accounts of specific instances from foreign journalists,…
In Hong Kong, Jimmy Lai’s Next Digital Says It Has Been Forced to Close
HONG KONG — Next Digital, a Hong Kong media company that has published vehement criticism of the Chinese government for decades, said on Sunday that it would take steps to shut down after an official crackdown had left it with no way to operate. In a statement, the company’s board of directors called for the liquidation of the company and said that they had resigned. “We have concluded that the best interests of shareholders, creditors, employees and other stakeholders will be served by an orderly liquidation,” it said, adding that…