Considers international media leaving Hong Kong

The new security law in Hong Kong is causing international news organizations to consider whether they should continue to maintain an office on Chinese territory.

Since World War II, many of the world’s largest news organizations have Asia headquarters in Hong Kong. Its open media environment, respect for the rule of law and proximity to China were valuable qualities.

But the territory known as the freest city Chinas is rapidly losing that image after the new law was passed. The move is the latest move by the central government to end its policy of self-government for Hong Kong.

The legislation is a response to pro-democracy demonstrations, some violent, held over the past year. But loosely defined laws are widely seen as a direct threat to the right to free speech.

New York Times was the first to announce he would move. The company said it would ship about 30 percent of its Hong Kong office to South Korea.

The newspaper said it would keep reporters in Hong Kong to cover the city, but also said it was getting harder to do so.

Earlier this year, China ousted American reporters working for it New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post from the continent. The government also banned them from reporting to Hong Kong.

Since the evictions, Washington Post has moved at least two reporters from China to South Korea.

Wall Street Journal and French news agency AFP are also considering their future in Hong Kong, CNN reported.

This week, Hong Kong Free Press said security law could also lead him to move operations outside Hong Kong. The English-language newspaper heavily covers the pro-democracy movement of the territories.

However, its leader and founder, Tom Grundy recently wrote in guardian,our editorial office is here to stay.

China says the law was created to prevent disjunction, overthrow, terrorism and secret agreement with foreigners.

But part of the law says officials need to strengthen management of foreign news organizations, non-governmental organizations and other international groups.

The term is not further explained but many foreign reporters believe that this implies restrictions on the content of news media.

Even before the new law, press freedoms in Hong Kong were reduced. Increasingly, police have blocked, attacked, and arrested reporters who demonstrate pro-democracy.

It showed people what was to come that was the beginning of the expansion of continental-style media and political control in Hong Kong, says Ben Bland. He is a former China correspondent for this Times Financial, which was headquartered in Hong Kong.

No apparent substitutes

However, many experts say the foreign media will be slow to leave Hong Kong altogether. One reason, they argue, is that there is nowhere better to go.

Taipei would be dangerous, experts say, as such an action could anger China. It considers Taiwan its territory and rejects any self-proclaimed independence.

Tokyo is a democracy with a free press, but the Japanese city is also a costly place to live. Some organizations may not have enough money to deploy many reporters in Tokyo.

New York Times said he likes South Korea because of friendship with foreign business, its independent and central press role in some major Asian news stories.

Im Susan Shand.

VOA’s William Gallo reports the story. Susan Shand adapted it to learn English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in this story

disjunction n. the decision of a region or state to leave a country

secret agreement – n. act in concert with a person or organization

management n. the controlling authority of a company or business

role n. a position or part in something