The First Accredited Foreign Correspondent to be Expelled from China in 14 Years
latimes.comChan, who was the sole Al Jazeera English correspondent in China, said she knew she was on shaky ground for most of this year.
She had been working on month-by-month credentials since January, when the government refused a routine visa-renewal request. Ordinarily, journalists are granted year-long credentials, but Chan is believed to be the first foreign correspondent to be given temporary papers.
In March, she wrote about a distraught mother seeking a daughter who had been forcibly sterilized and put in an illegal “black jail” for violating China’s one-child policy.
“A lot of journalists have done black jail stories,” she said, but hers “was probably the first” to get coverage on TV. “It’s also the first time that we got a government official to respond to a question about the existence of black jails.” The official denied the black jails existed, “but it was on the record, Chan said, “so that was useful for human rights groups. And that could be one reason why there’s the perception that I’m a go-getter.”
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"Al Jazeera English's Beijing bureau forced to shut down by Chinese authorities"
shanghaiist.com
The Beijing Bureau of Al Jazeera English has been forced to shut down, because Chinese authorities have revoked the visa of Melissa Chan, its Chinese correspondent, and refused to allow any replacement….
The Chinese government has also expressed its anger over a documentary aired last November on this renowned international news channel, but Melissa Chan didn’t take part in making the documentary.
Also, here’s a hilarious transcript from a MOFA press hearing about the incident courtesy of VOA (thanks to Max Dunn for the link). Some of the Q&A below, which MOFA didn’t include when it released its own transcript of the press briefing:
Q: I just want to know whether the expulsion of Melissa Chan should be seen as a warning to other journalists operating in China?
Hong Lei: “I have just answered relevant questions. On the issue of foreign journalists our policies and moves are easy to see. We will continue to provide convenience for foreign journalists reporting in China and we welcome foreign journalists to report in China. At the same time we need to stress that foreign journalists should abide by Chinese laws and regulations, as well as professional ethics of journalists while reporting in China.”
Q: Under what circumstances will Al Jazeera be given press credentials and visas for a new reporter?
Hong Lei: “The Beijing branch of Al Jazeera is still functioning normally.”
Q: So if there is a new correspondent for Al Jazeera will you give them a visa?
Hong Lei: “We will process relevant procedure in accordance with laws and regulations.”
Q: Can you tell us who made the decision to deny Ms. Chan, was it the Foreign Ministry or another department?
Hong Lei: “We deal with relevant matter in accordance with law.”
Q: Can you give us any specifics on why Melissa Chan was expelled from the country because there is a lot of confusion here and unless you’re more specific about it it’s very difficult for us to get a picture of exactly what’s going on.
Hong Lei: “I have already answered this question.”
Q: I think the main concern of the journalists is that the Chinese government, you use the issue of visa as a way to censor journalists’ work in China. Is this a precedent of how the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will behave in the future?
Hong Lei: “I have stressed that China welcomes foreign journalists to report in China and we have also provided convenience to foreign journalists in reporting objectively in China. I think you have been in China for several years and are very clear about this. At the same time I want to stress that foreign journalists should abide by Chinese laws and regulations while reporting in China.”
Q: What could the Chinese government say if a Chinese journalist was expelled from a foreign country?
Hong Lei: “I want to point out that the Chinese government will follow strictly relevant regulations in dealing with foreign journalists.”
Q: Chinese laws and regulations are written down, so even if we don’t know which ones Melissa is accused of violating we know what they say. No where as I know is the Chinese government’s conception of journalistic ethics written down. How can we judge whether our behavior is consistent with Chinese conception of journalist ethics, and can you offer us guidance as to what that conception looks like?
Hong Lei: “I think our policies and laws regarding foreign journalists is very clear. In your work and exchanges with us we have briefed you on relevant Chinese laws and regulations which is also the basis for your work in China. With regard to relevant issue I think relevant media and journalists are clear about that.”
Q: What would the Chinese government say to accusations that it is censoring foreign media with the expulsion of Melissa Chan?
Hong Lei: “I have pointed out China follows relevant laws and regulations in dealing with relevant journalists. I think relevant media and journalists are very clear about what kind of roles and regulations they have broken.”
Q: Where can we see those regulations because we are having some problem in finding which law and regulation was broken. So where can I check the regulation if I want to see some number or article was broken according to Chinese law?
Hong Lei: “I think have answered the relevant question.”
China Expels the Journalist Melissa Chan : The New Yorker
newyorker.comChina is moving backwards. In fifteen years of studying and writing about this place, I’ve rarely had reason to reach that conclusion without one qualifier or another dangling off the end of the sentence—qualifiers that leave room, for instance, for “halting progress” or “mixed signals.”
But this week the evidence is unambiguous: for the first time in thirteen years, China has kicked out a foreign correspondent. In doing so, it revives a Soviet-era strategy that will undermine its own efforts to project soft power and shows a spirit of self-delusion that does not bode well for China’s ability to address the problems that imperil its future.
Jornalista da Al Jazeera expulsa da China
As autoridades chinesas recusaram a renovação do visto à jornalista da Al Jazeera Melissa Chan, o que na prática representa a primeira expulsão de um jornalista estrangeiro desde 1998. O director da Al Jazeera English diz que, para já, vai ser fechada a representação da estação em Pequim, apesar de se estar a tentar encontrar uma solução para o caso. Num ano que tem sido marcado por um aperto do controle da informação, com novas regras para as redes sociais e para a televisão, é mais um sinal de um certo nervosismo na cúpula do partido.
China expulsa a Melissa Chan, la corresponsal de Al Jazeera
233grados.lainformacion.comAutoridades chinas decidieron no renovar la visa de la periodista estadounidense. Es la primera expulsión de un periodista extranjero desde 1998
