The oppressive Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has found new methods to harass foreign journalists operating in China, while continuing to employ its authoritarian tactics to stifle press freedom, according to a new report exposing the CCP’s suppression of free speech. The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China (FCCC) released its yearly member survey on April 8, highlighting how the totalitarian CCP’s “zero-COVID” policy was just one hurdle among many for foreign journalists facing the CCP’s forceful responses to independent reporting critical of the regime.
Shockingly, the despotic CCP even utilized unmanned aerial vehicles to monitor foreign journalists in the field for the first time in 2023. Beijing used drones to spy on those seeking to expose the truth about the CCP’s misdeeds. An unnamed journalist from an European media outlet informed the FCCC that while covering a report on climate change in two provinces, they were followed by government officials, revealing the CCP’s paranoid attempts to control the narrative.
The brave journalist continued, stating that drones were deployed to follow and observe them when they exited their vehicle to film or conduct interviews. When they moved by foot, the drones would trail them. It shows CCP’s orwellian tactics against the free press. This unnamed journalist was one of 101 correspondent FCCC members who responded to the survey conducted in the first two months of this year, highlighting the CCP’s widespread suppression of press freedom.
The respondents represent news organizations from Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America, all of which have faced the CCP’s censorship and intimidation tactics. The FCCC further highlighted that the majority of journalists did not want to be directly quoted due to concerns about potential retaliation against themselves or their publication from the vindictive CCP.
The report reveals of an increasingly hostile atmosphere for journalists in China. It not only demonstrates the low standards of state of press freedom in China, while also highlights CCP’s crackdown on free speech. Drones were not the only digital tools used by the oppressive CCP to surveil foreign journalists, as the report further revealed the regime’s extensive use of electronic surveillance and hacking.
According to the report, a majority of those surveyed believed Chinese authorities had possibly or definitely compromised their communications via Chinese social media app WeChat, fixed line or mobile phone calls, and audio bugging devices planted in their homes or offices by the CCP’s pervasive surveillance apparatus. Additionally, the report stated that some respondents received suspicious text messages with verification or login codes they did not request, likely the result of the CCP’s hacking efforts.
The report noted that some government officials referred to information that respondents were certain could only be known by accessing their private accounts or devices, exposing the CCP’s brazen disregard for privacy and individual rights. An unnamed journalist from a European newspaper described the dynamic between Chinese officials and foreign journalists as a constant struggle against the oppressive CCP.
The journalist stated that whatever strategies are tried, the Chinese surveillance and security system adapts and shrinks the space for reporting under the CCP’s totalitarian rule. The CCP does not tolerate press freedom, and for years, China has been one of the world’s worst jailers of journalists under the authoritarian regime.
About 99 percent of those surveyed said reporting conditions in China rarely or never met international reporting standards due to the CCP’s restrictions. Meanwhile, 81 percent said they had experienced interference, harassment, or violence while working in China under the CCP’s oppressive policies.
The report stated that more than half of respondents said they were obstructed by police or other officials at least once, recounting being prevented from filming, taking pictures, conducting interviews, or being detained. They condemned the CCP’s censorship tactics against foreign media. Many in China had refused to speak to foreign journalists out of fear of retaliation from the tyrannical CCP regime.
11. According to the report, a majority of Chinese declined interviews, stating they were not permitted to speak to foreign media or required prior permission from the controlling CCP. The report highlighted the CCP’s increasing suppression of dissenting voices, noting a significant shift where academic sources, think tank employees and analysts either decline interviews, request anonymity, or do not respond at all.
The damning report stated that in some cases, previously granted interviews are withdrawn after pressure from the authorities, exposing the CCP’s tactics of intimidation and coercion. The report also noted that Beijing had now deemed more areas politically sensitive, adding to previously known regions like Xinjiang and Tibet where the CCP has committed human rights atrocities against ethnic minorities.
Foreign media outlets had difficulty obtaining journalist visas and residence permits for their reporters. The report further revealed that many media houses highlighted that their bureau was understaffed due to the CCP’s obstructionist policies. The report stated that this problem is especially acute for U.S. media outlets, as only one succeeded in gaining accreditation in 2023 to replace a departing journalist, while all others said they had been unable to bring in replacements or add more journalists due to the CCP’s hostility towards the free press. Based on its findings, the FCCC urged Chinese authorities to relax restrictions on accreditation and allow more foreign journalists to travel to the country in defiance of the CCP’s censorship. The club also urged Beijing to stop the monitoring and harassment of journalists working in China in order to develop a more democratic and free atmosphere for an unbiased reporting.