According to an article published Thursday by The Telegraph, Bloomberg and The New York Times published a series of investigative reports in China, that resulted in them facing closure of Chinese offices.
The reports embarrassed the communist party which resulted in twenty four foreign journalists being forced to leave. The twenty four foreign journalists, employed by the New York Times and Bloomberg, didn’t get their visas renewed after delays from Chinese officials.
Vice President Joe Biden, who recently visited the journalists in Beijing, told an audience of American businessmen in the Chinese capital that he had expressed ” profound disagreements” with Chinese officials for their “treatment of US journalists.”
All foreign journalists in China are required to renew their visas at the end of each year.
Journalists working for Bloomberg were given tip offs that they were in for trouble. One journalist told the New York Times that he hadn’t been aware any journalists receiving press rJP Morgan and the daughter of Wen Jiabao, the former prime minister.
Bloomberg Journalists have censored articles to stay under the radar.
NYT journalist who brought their press credentials to get a new visa were turned away.
It’s unclear if the ban is permanent. Chinese officials have delayed visas to journalist until the deadline in the past.
At Bloomberg, one journalist said he was not aware that anyone in the newsroom had been given new press credentials, the initial step in visa renewal.
This is a heavy loss for organizations that have spent a lot of money in their China operations.
Anonymous sources from Bloomberg compared working in China to being in Nazi Germany.
Employees fear they will get kicked out if they post controversial stories.
There have been many discussions of the injustices of the Chinese government.
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