China Expels Three Wall Street Journal Reporters

Three journalists’ press credentials have been suspended by the Chinese government (Flickr).

The Chinese government announced on February 19 that it will revoke the press credentials of three Wall Street Journal reporters due to a published Wall Street Journal opinion piece titled “China Is the Real Sick Man of Asia,” according to CNN. 

The piece, published on February 3, criticizes China’s response to the current coronavirus outbreak, which originated in the city of Wuhan. Specifically, author Walter Richard Mead calls China’s response “less than impressive” and questions whether the coronavirus will cause China’s economy and geopolitical footprint to shrink. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang responded to the article by saying that “the editors used such a racially discriminatory title, triggering indignation and condemnation among the Chinese people and the international community.”

The expression “sick man of Asia” was a derogatory term used in the late 1800s and early 1900s during the time of the Open Door Policy to characterize the Chinese people as “disease-ridden” and “unclean” and China as a weak nation, according to NBC. The Chinese government has criticized the title for not only being racially discriminatory but also for undermining and belittling the severity of coronavirus’ impact on the Chinese people. Managers and journalists at the Wall Street Journal have discussed potentially changing the headline due to China’s outrage over its insensitivity but have taken no action yet.

The Chinese government has since revoked the press credentials of reporters Chao Deng and Philip Wen and Beijing Deputy Bureau Chief Josh Chin, all of whom were given five days to leave the country, despite not being involved with the controversial op-ed. This is the largest expulsion of overseas media by the Chinese government in more than three decades, according to CNN. While there is a strict separation between journalists and opinion staff like Mead, according to the Wall Street Journal, the Chinese government is expelling the journalists as punishment to the paper. 

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has denounced the Chinese actions against the Wall Street Journal, saying that “mature, responsible countries understand that a free press reports facts and expresses opinions. The correct response is to present counter arguments, not restrict speech.”

The Wall Street Journal has also been pushing against the decision. Editor-in-Chief Matt Murray released a statement in reaction to the expulsion of the journalists, saying that “we all must stand alongside them [the journalists] too. Let no one doubt that the Wall Street Journal remains fully committed to covering China…. We will support our journalists and their work and safety. And we will continue in the coming days to push for this action to be reversed.”