The thread below highlights the increasingly difficult nature that colleagues in #China have to face. It reflects the growing hostility against foreign correspondents and the fact that #Beijing has begun to weaponize access for reporting in the country against foreign reporters.
I think it's important that we all understand the tricky, risky and dangerous nature of reporting in #China these days. We will never know when the more hostile environment will be reversed and it will be impossible to make any sort of prediction, as it's the nature with ...
... many other things involving #China these days. One thing clear is that when access for foreign journalists becomes a "weapon" used by a government, all of us will sacrifice something ultimately. For journalists, it is the valuable opportunity to report and engage ...
... with those who we try to write about directly. For readers, politicians, academics, and everyone else, it is the loss of access to an unfiltered and truthful understanding about #China. While it might be possible to continue the reporting from outside of the country,...
... there is a huge difference in terms of the level of clarity that journalists and readers are able to get when information is no longer gathered directly from the country that we are trying to report on. It increases the efforts for fact-checking or engaging with our subjects.
For colleagues that are still in #China, the increasing number of journalists departing from the country could also create more pressure on how they might have to ensure that they don't cross the line defined and controlled by #Beijing.
As a #Taiwan journalist, I will never be able to do what I've been doing inside #China, as I will violate the law and get into trouble. This lack of access by default makes me understand the importance of having access and the right to practice our profession inside China.
I never think how I do my job is the ideal form of covering #China, so when I see more colleagues have to join me in #Taiwan, I view it with a very mixed feeling, but it is mostly sadness and concern. This is not how reporting on China is supposed to be.
In light of @TheJohnSudworth's unfortunate departure from #China and what he had to go through before he left, I want to express my appreciation to those who remain in the country and continue to try their best to do what they are supposed to do.
This thread is certainly not intended to be taking over the spotlight from those who are or have been directly affected by this, but I just hope to share a bit more perspectives on this really worrying and concerning trend that we have been seeing since last year.

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More from @WilliamYang120

1 Apr
Some sentimental words from Lee Cheuk Yan to the younger generation in #HongKong in our interview: "I think for the younger generation in Hong Kong, I would say that I’m really proud of them, because they all have showed the spirit in the fight during the protest movement.
I’m sad about the sacrifices that the younger generation has to pay for Hong Kong. I think what we also learned is that we all have to learn to pay the price. Thanks to the younger generation for showing us their courage and the defiant spirit."
"I think in the future, we should focus more on unity. Sometimes there may be differences in the strategies, but I think one thing very clear is that all the people in Hong Kong share the same fate and we share the same struggle."
Read 7 tweets
1 Apr
I was able to get a hold of Lee Cheuk-Yan yesterday, as I imagine it probably will be one of the last public interviews that he was able to do before Thursday's trial. Here's what he said to me about the march at the center of this case in #HongKong:
"We are very honored to be with the people at the march and I want to remind the people that it was a big march and big rally that 1.7 million people responded to the call for a peaceful assembly in Victoria Park."
"What we have done is actually just helping people disperse, but helping people to disperse has now been charged as an illegal march.
Read 19 tweets
1 Apr
Breaking: A court in #HongKong has convicted nine pro-democracy figures over their participation in a pro-democracy rally in August 2019. 2 pleaded guilty and the other seven are convicted.
One of the convicted is Martin Lee, known by many as "the father of democracy" in #HongKong. Here's an interview I did with him a little bit before he announced that he would no longer take any more foreign media interviews prior to the passage of #NSL: dw.com/en/hong-kong-a…
Another one is former legislator and prominent barrister Margaret Ng and here's my interview with her just days before #HongKong's #NSL came into effect: williamyang-35700.medium.com/beijing-impose…
Read 6 tweets
1 Apr
Scoop from @wsjeva: #China's propaganda officials reportedly discussed how to pushback against international criticism on its policies in #Xinjiang and the possibility of pressuring foreign companies with biz interests in #China was raised. wsj.com/articles/chine…
"As officials discussed responding in a similar manner on Xinjiang, the topic of cotton came up, two of the people familiar with the matter said. The possibility of pressuring foreign companies with business interests in China to advance Beijing’s interests was also discussed."
"Some scholars present at the meeting argued that Beijing needed to loudly refute every false story or statement about Xinjiang, the people said. Other scholars and political advisers suggested China should respond reasonably ...
Read 4 tweets
1 Apr
In light of the news of @BBCWorld correspondent forced to leave #China, I'm re-upping this interview that I did with @iandenisjohnson last year following the revelation that he was expelled from the country after spending years reporting from China. dw.com/en/ian-johnson…
"The biggest thing is there will be a lot less in-depth reporting on China. Now, there is a lot of spin, and a lot of people tweeting things and coming up with ways of analyzing things related to China."
"However, now there is less "boots-on-the-ground" investigative reporting that involves going out and actually talking to people. Without that, we lack facts in dealing with China."
Read 5 tweets
1 Apr
China said on Wednesday at the @UN Security Council that it rejects sanctions #Myanmar and calls for "democratic transition." newsus.cgtn.com/news/2021-04-0…
"We hope that all parties in Myanmar can keep calm, exercise restraint," adding that any attack on the people and businesses in Myanmar "is unacceptable," Ambassador Zhang Jun said.
On the other hand, @UN Special Envoy on #Myanmar told a session of the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday that “a bloodbath is imminent” because of the military’s intensified crackdown on anti-coup protesters. reuters.com/article/us-mya…
Read 9 tweets

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