There’s a sizeable gap between Western perceptions of the role of journalists in democratic societies and China’s view that media should serve the interests of the state.
With scant details of the reasons for the news anchor’s arrest, the future looks grim for Cheng Lei with Beijing signalling its intent for a full-scale criminal investigation.
As diplomatic relations worsened in recent years, people-to-people ties remained strong. Now, however, it appears even academics and journalists are becoming ‘pawns’ in a great diplomatic tussle.
The AFR’s Michael Smith during Shanghai COVID-19 quarantine and Bill Birtles late last year returning from covering Hong Kong protests.
Twitter (@MichaelSmithAFR and @BillBirtles)
Covering China has become an increasingly challenging task, but now foreign journalists like Australians Bill Birtles and Mike Smith are being expelled from the country at an alarming rate.