Opinion: The swift and unceremonious exit of two Australian journalists from Beijing shows the situation for foreign correspondents in China to be apparently worse now than it was in the mid-1970s at the tail end of the brutal cultural revolution
The swift and unceremonious exit of two Australian journalists from Beijing after a midnight knock on the door shows the situation for foreign correspondents in China to be apparently worse now and considerably riskier than it was in the mid-1970s at the tail end of the brutal cultural revolution.China correspondent, from 1975 to 1978, I recall only one correspondent who was thrown out, a Canadian who had the temerity to write about human rights. His visa was simply not renewed.
Bill Birtles, one of the two correspondents who made their getaway this week, described the growing restrictions felt by journalists in the past few years, difficulties arranging interviews, making phone calls, restrictions on travel, but these were nothing compared with the tight controls kept on correspondents in the '70s.For a start, there was no phone book.
This kind of stuff was produced by the yard, reminding me of endless “brief introductions” we were subject to at communes and factories all over the country, to which we were guided from time to time by our Foreign Ministry minders. These sessions required a strong bladder given the copious quantities of green tea served.
Journalists could turn to the diplomatic ghetto with its endless dinners where there was plenty of speculation about what was going on, who was in and who was out in the party, who stood where on the red carpet, what was the significance of the latest political campaign or what did a marginal adjustment to a standard piece of jargon mean. Distinguish, for instance, between “act according to principles laid down” and “act according to past principles”.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
China interference inquiry is 'baffling', says Sydney University bossSydney's leading university vice-chancellors have defended themselves against accusations they are susceptible to Chinese political interference | natassiazc
Read more »
Hello Boys: Sydney got lucky in September 2000 and we all lived the dream'The Dream' gave Roy and me a particular platform from which to view the five-ringed circus that was the Sydney Olympics. We got lucky early with Eric the Eel. And struck again when we invented our own language to unlock the miracle of men's gymnastics.
Read more »
NSW government has 'one rule for Sydney, and another for regional NSW' | Sky News AustraliaNSW National Party President Andrew Fraser says regional NSW farmers preserve and reserve the koala population in the state and don’t need to be told what to do with their land. \n\nChanges to laws protecting koalas in New South Wales have sparked concerns with farmer lobby groups about the balance of biodiversity outcomes and the rights of landholders. \n\nThe number of tree species triggering koala checks on private properties was increased from 10 to 123 under changes to the Koala Habitat Protection State Environment Planning Policy due to fears the state’s koala population was seriously declining. \n\n“The government really needs to step back, have a look at the existing protocols that are out there… (and) manage it properly,” Mr Fraser told Sky News host Alan Jones.\n\n“The bushfires killed more koalas than anything else, and if you look at clearing koala habitat and habitation in Western Sydney to actually then take offsets in regional New South Wales, it’s one rule for those in Sydney and another rule for us in regional New South Wales. \n\n“Are there koalas in The Domain? Are there koalas in Hyde Park? Are there koalas in Centennial Park? \n\n“No there’s not. It’s a concrete jungle and we’re paying the price.\n\n“We preserve and reserve the koala population in New South wales, we don’t need to be told what we can do with our own land.”\n\n
Read more »
Construction of new Sydney airport terminal due to start next yearThe government released concept designs for the terminal at Western Sydney Airport as several large contractors were shortlisted for construction work.
Read more »
Live: Student's false positive coronavirus test shuts down Western Sydney schoolHealth authorities have apologised after a student from a western Sydney school was falsely diagnosed with having COVID-19, shutting down the school and forcing some students and staff to isolate. Follow live.
Read more »
Fears as Sydney and Queensland hospitals hit by virusInvestigations into a coronavirus cluster at two Sydney hospitals are under way, with five cases now linked to Liverpool and Concord hospitals, while a hospital cluster in southeast Queensland is also growing.
Read more »