AAJA condemns China expulsion of NY Times reporter Vivian Wang

The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) is backing New York Times correspondent Vivian Wang after China expelled the reporter in February over a newspaper event featuring Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, despite Wang having no involvement in the interview. The Times disclosed the expulsion on May 29.

In a statement released on June 4, AAJA said it “vehemently opposes restrictions that undermine press freedom and limit journalists’ ability to report.”

“When journalists are restricted or expelled, audiences lose access to on-the-ground reporting, whether those journalists are U.S. correspondents covering China or international correspondents covering the United States,” the organization said. AAJA also warned against retaliatory measures targeting journalists, noting that “journalists must be able to do their work without fear of being expelled, targeted, or used as leverage in diplomatic disputes.”

The group called on Chinese authorities to restore Wang’s ability to report from the country and urged U.S. officials not to respond with actions that restrict journalists working in the U.S. “The United States should uphold that principle by ensuring that journalists, regardless of nationality, can report freely and independently,” AAJA said, citing First Amendment protections for press freedom.

Chinese officials tied Wang’s expulsion to a DealBook Summit event in New York that featured a virtual appearance by Taiwan President Lai Ching-te. Wang neither participated in nor helped organize the interview, which was conducted by DealBook founder Andrew Ross Sorkin.

AAJA noted that Wang’s reporting on Chinese politics and society had also reportedly drawn scrutiny from government officials. Her coverage examined the lives of ordinary Chinese citizens, censorship, the coronavirus pandemic and China’s expanding security state. Reuters similarly reported that Chinese authorities had closely monitored her work over several years.

Taiwan’s government condemned the expulsion after it became public. Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo accused Beijing of using “groundless pretexts” to threaten media freedom and said the move harmed China’s international image.

Beijing views Lai as a separatist because he rejects China’s claim of sovereignty over Taiwan, while Taiwan maintains that its future should be determined by its people.

Wang, who had reported from China since 2020, was among a shrinking number of American journalists working in the country following previous rounds of expulsions and visa restrictions imposed on foreign media organizations.

AAJA’s statement also referenced reports that the U.S. government later revoked the visa of an unnamed Chinese national working for Xinhua News. While condemning Wang’s expulsion, AAJA cautioned against reciprocal actions that could further restrict journalistic access, arguing that press freedom should be protected regardless of nationality. “Restricting journalists’ access to the United States in response to actions taken abroad risks weakening America’s longstanding commitment to press freedom,” the organization said.