The Economist said on Saturday that Hong Kong declined to renew the visa of one its journalists, urging the city to maintain foreign media access as concerns grow about media freedoms in the global financial hub.
the magazine was proud of correspondent Sue-Lin Wong's journalism and regretted the decision by the immigration authorities, which it said was given without explanation.
The Hong Kong government and immigration department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Fears over freedom of the press in the former British colony are increasing, months after the city's most vocal pro-democracy newspaper, Apple Daily, was forced to shut after its tycoon owner, Jimmy Lai, and other staff were arrested under the national security law.on Twitter from London: "Very sad I won’t be able to continue reporting from Hong Kong. I loved getting to know the city and its people. I will miss you all.
As of April, 628 foreign employees working for overseas media held work visas in Hong Kong, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.