The Economist's
Hong Kong correspondent
, Sue-Lin Wong, has been denied visa renewal without explanation by local authorities, the British magazine reported on Friday (November 12th).
Read also In Hong Kong, resistance to the Chinese regime is organized in the shadows
Of Australian nationality, Sue-Ling Wong is at least the third foreign journalist to be driven out in recent years from Hong Kong, a former haven of freedom for the media, but where the authorities are leading a severe takeover since the major pro-democracy protests in 2019. Prior to Sue-Lin Wong,
New York Times
Hong Kong
correspondent
Chris Buckley was refused a visa renewal last year.
Financial Times
reporter
Victor Mallet had experienced the same mishap in 2018.
“Hong Kong immigration authorities refused to renew the work visa of our correspondent, Sue-Lin Wong. We deplore their decision, which was communicated without explanation, ”
the editor of the weekly, Zanny Minton Beddoes said in a statement.
The reporter is currently outside Hong Kong, she said.
“We are proud of Sue-Lin's journalism.
We urge the Hong Kong government to maintain access for the foreign press, ”
Zanny Minton Beddoes added.
Read also Jean-Pierre Cabestan: "Hong Kong civil society will not disappear overnight"
Tensions between China, Australia and the United Kingdom have increased in recent years, due to trade disputes but also to the support shown by Canberra and London for the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong. Australia and the United Kingdom in particular facilitate the immigration of Hong Kongers who wish to leave the city.
For decades, Hong Kong has been the regional hub for many foreign media covering current events in Asia.
The Basic Law - the Hong Kong mini-constitution in force since the handover in 1997 - guarantees freedom of expression in principle.
But a draconian
“national security” law
, imposed by Beijing in June 2020, has created a climate of fear for press freedom in the territory.
The city's most popular pro-democracy daily,
Apple Daily
, closed in June after its assets were frozen and its leaders jailed for
"collusion with foreign forces endangering national security
.
"
Read alsoThe inexorable bringing to heel of Hong Kong by China
AFP, CNN, The
Wall Street Journal
and Bloomberg are among the foreign media with regional headquarters in Hong Kong.
The
New York Times
moved part of theirs to Seoul after their correspondent was denied the visa.