John Sudworth Beijing Correspondent
Up to the very end, I was confronted with the harsh reality of reporting in China.
As my family rushed to pack and move to the airport late at night, plainclothes police were watching from outside the house. The policeman followed me to the airport and followed me to the check-in area.
Predictably, the Chinese propaganda machine was running full throttle by the end. Denying that I was in danger inside China, at the same time creating these very clear dangers.
The state-run Global Times reported that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was unaware that Sudworth was in danger. "There may have been lawsuits filed by individuals in the region over false reports about Xinjiang," he said.
This chilling view reflects the reality of the court system, which is as much an extension of the Communist Party as the Chinese media. It rejects an independent judiciary as a "Wrong Western Idea".
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to attack. At a press conference on Thursday, they criticized what they called the BBC's "fake news".
At the press conference, a BBC interview video about Volkswagen's decision to continue the operation of an automobile factory in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region was played, saying, ``Such reports have angered the Chinese people.'' explained.
Of course, I don't think this anger is generated. The BBC has been blocked in this country for many years and the vast majority of Chinese people should not be able to see these reports.
But remember, while a series of events ended my coverage in China in a dangerous and frustrating way, this was just one of several years of foreign media exiting China. It's better to be
And this is part of the great battle over concepts and information that China is waging around the world.
When China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO), then US President George W. gave a speech.
"And the convention of freedom creates the expectation of democracy."
This unrealistic assumption that China will become richer and freer was brought up in news analysis and academic debates even in 2012, when I started working in China.
But coincidentally this year, something happened in China that makes this prediction seem so naive. Xi Jinping has become the general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the supreme leader of the country.
As global trade patterns have changed significantly over the past few years, China has also undoubtedly undergone a transformation, sparking economic turmoil and social transformation. Meanwhile, hopes for democracy seem more distant than ever.
President Xi used China's inherently inflexible political system to tighten constraints on all aspects of society.
Now that he's approaching his 10th year in an indefinite position, the media is the main battlefield.
Document No. 9, allegedly leaked from high government officials, shows the targets of this battle. "Western values," including freedom of the press.
Finding the truth in Xinjiang, questioning the origins of the new coronavirus, or criticizing the totalitarian policies of Hong Kong... As the BBC's experience shows, foreign media outlets for reporting such things are now facing severe criticism.
However, the propaganda attacks by the authorities continue even after I leave China. Meanwhile, it should be noted that foreign social media is also widely used to amplify the Chinese government's message.
For example, the Global Times, along with a caricature, said, "China's foreign minister told Western media like the BBC World Service, 'You may hate China, but that doesn't mean you can unscrupulously tarnish China's reputation.' No.” The erosion of that credibility will accelerate if we continue to prioritize ideology over reality,” he tweeted. The attached article is headlined, "Poor BBC Threatens China with Sudworth's Abnormal Emigration."
Of course, the irony is that while the presence of the foreign media in China is shrinking, the Communist Party has invested heavily in its foreign media strategy to take full advantage of the free and open media. ing.
Diplomats called "warwolves" keep on tweeting anger. This is despite the fact that citizens are prohibited from using foreign SNS. As reported by the International Cyber Policy Center of the Australian Institute of Strategic Policy, attacks on foreign media coverage have taken a focused and coordinated strategy across multiple platforms.
The state-owned media, which spouts propaganda, is sending unlimited content overseas. On the other hand, independent reporting is strictly prohibited inside China, foreign media is censored, and foreign journalists cannot access Chinese social media.
This reporter from the Global Times said of my move to China, "According to sources, BBC World's John Sudworth fled to Taiwan when Xinjiang individuals tried to sue the BBC for fake news." tweeted.
In this context, my move to China is part of a very asymmetric battle over the crackdown on ideological claims.
A situation where real and accurate information flows freely, the outlook is not good.
With limited access to information, it becomes difficult to understand what is really happening in China. It also cracks down on the power of the free press structure and undermines democratic debates around the world.
While there is no easy solution and President Bush's idealistic speculation has long since evaporated, there is a sliver of hope.
Although the Chinese authorities have denied that they are “fakes,” much of the information revealing the truth about what is happening in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region in recent years is based on internal official documents and propaganda reports. It has become.
In operating a system that imprisons so many people, modern digital powers have no choice but to leave their mark online. A significant journalistic effort to dig up this trail will continue from afar.
I am now one of those foreign correspondents forced to report on China from other parts of Asia and beyond.
And, of course, there are some brave and determined foreign media collaborators, albeit in smaller numbers, who remain in China to assist with reporting.
Most strikingly, there are more than a few wonderful Chinese citizens who are playing major roles in journalism, evading censorship, even as political crackdowns intensify. These people, aware of the great danger that befalls them, tell the events of their country in their own language.
The lockdown situation in Wuhan where the new coronavirus occurred, much of the information came from citizen journalists. They are now paying the price for their bravery.
I've left the plainclothes police behind (I hope this is the last time) and am in the departure lobby of Beijing Air China.
In this new battle over doctrines, let us not forget that the Chinese people continue to face great risks simply by telling the truth.
(English article 'The China media war that pushed me out')
© 2022 BBC The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Click here for the external link policy of this site