China detains Bloomberg journalist for endangering ‘national security’

By Choekyi Lhamo

DHARAMSHALA, Dec. 15: China has detained a Chinese citizen named Haze Fan, a Bloomberg journalist on suspicion of endangering national security on Monday. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday, “Chinese citizen Ms Fan has been detained by the Beijing National Security Bureau according to relevant Chinese law on suspicion of engaging in criminal activities that jeopardize national security.”

The statement said that the journalist’s rights have been fully ensured and her family has been duly notified. Bloomberg’s editor-in-chief, John Micklethwait, described Fan as a “talented and integral part of our newsroom” and that the agency would work as hard as possible to help her and her family.  He also added that the arrest would not deter its coverage of news from China. 

The European Union (EU) has also urged China to release all journalists and citizens held in detention in connection with their reportage after the arrest of Haze Fan. “All those arrested and detained in connection with their reporting activity should be immediately released,” an EU spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday. 

Another Australian reporter named Cheng Lei who previously worked for state-run CGTN was also charged on similar national security charges. More than a dozen journalists working for US media organisations were expelled in China this year. Reporters without Borders (RSF) listed China among the lowest category of World Press Freedom Index citing, “Foreign reporters trying to work in China are encountering more and more obstacles in the field. More than 100 journalists and bloggers are currently detained in conditions that pose a threat to their lives.”

The Bloomberg news staff member worked with the agency since 2017. She had also worked with other major international outlets including Reuters, CNBS, CBS and Aljazeera.