"New York Times" reporter Chu Bailiang failed to obtain the Hong Kong government's renewal of work visa without explanation

Instant International

Written by: Cheng Yihua

2020-07-16 13:56

After the New York Times announced on July 14 that it would evacuate about one-third of Hong Kong employees to Seoul, South Korea, the group reiterated that the New York Times senior Chinese reporter Chris Buckley was not renewed by the Hong Kong government last week. The work visa, also known as the Hong Kong government, did not explain why.

New Zealand: The Hong Kong government did not give an explanation

The New York Times reported that the Hong Kong government refused to renew Chu Bailiang’s work visa without giving an explanation. Chu Bailiang, 52, was originally a reporter based in China. He joined the newspaper in 2012. He published reports on the Xinjiang Uyghur and New Coronary Pneumonia epidemic. He visited Wuhan during the epidemic. After the Chinese government refused to renew his journalist visa in May this year, he left Beijing.

🔻Chu Bailiang did not receive the renewal of the Chinese government’s journalist visa in May, when he left Beijing on May 8 and posted a post on Twitter🔻

Goodbye China — for now. My time here is ending after 24 years. I am filled with sadness at leaving, and gratitude for family and friends who have made this country my life as well as my work. I look forward to resuming reporting soon, and also to the day when we can return. pic.twitter.com/BZLoLEG2jv

According to reports, some New York Times employees in Hong Kong have encountered difficulties in obtaining work visas. Such difficulties are uncommon in China, but in Hong Kong, problems have rarely occurred before. The report believes that as China tightens control, Hong Kong will enter a new era, and the editors of the newspaper believe that it is necessary to find another place as an operating base.

"New York Times" previously reported on July 14th that, because of concerns about the adverse impact of the "Minato City National Security Act" on the newspaper industry, it decided to transfer Hong Kong's digital news business to Seoul, South Korea, and will focus on digital business in the next year. Of journalists withdrew, accounting for one-third of the total Hong Kong employees, and the remaining journalists will continue to report on Hong Kong and neighboring regions.

As for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Hua Chunying, who responded to New York Times’ evacuation of some employees on July 15, she said that she would not comment on the internal arrangements of the foreign media. She reiterated that the Minato District National Security Law stipulates four serious threats to national security. This kind of criminal behavior is punished by a very small number, and the vast majority is protected. She also said that the rights and interests of the general public of Hong Kong, including foreign agencies and personnel including foreign media, enjoy all rights and interests according to law without any impact.

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