New York Times to move journalists from Hong Kong over new security law

THE New York Times has said it will transfer some of its staff out of Hong Kong because of the uncertainties about practising journalism in the Chinese territory under its newly imposed national security law.

Hong Kong, which was handed over to China by the British in 1997, has long been seen as China’s last bastion of press freedom and is a headquarters for many foreign news outlets reporting in Asia and mainland China.

But an atmosphere of uncertainty about press freedom has followed the imposition of the law on June 30 aimed at curbing dissent in the city after months of anti-government protests last year.

And concerns over freedoms in the territory were echoes by young activists at the weekend dominating Hong Kong’s unofficial pro-democracy primary elections over the weekend. Hundreds of thousands of people voted in the polls despite warnings they could violate the territory’s new security law imposed by Beijing.

However, China has also tightened rules surrounding the media, with the law states the Hong Kong Government will work to “strengthen public communication, guidance, supervision and regulation over matters concerning national security” for a variety of institutions including the media and internet.

The New York Times said some of its employees faced challenges in securing work permits to work in Hong Kong, which until recently had rarely been an issue in the city and were obstacles mostly faced by journalists working on the mainland.

“China’s sweeping new national security law in Hong Kong has created a lot of uncertainty about what the new rules will mean to our operation and our journalism,” New York Times management told staff in a memo on Tuesday. “We feel it is prudent to make contingency plans and begin to diversify our editing staff around the region.”

It will move its digital team of journalists, about a third of its Hong Kong staff, to Seoul, South Korea, over the next year. Correspondents will remain to cover the city. Other departments, including print production, advertising and marketing staff, will remain.

Meanwhile, last weekend young activists defied warning as they voted in Hong Kong’s unofficial pro-democracy primary elections.

The pro-democracy camp has pledged to vote down the budget if they attain majority. Under Hong Kong’s mini-constitution, known as the Basic Law, the city’s leader, currently Carrie Lam, must resign if an important bill such as the budget is vetoed twice.

Ms Lam on Monday warned organisers and candidates of the elections that the event could be considered subversive under the city’s tough new national security law if the objective is to resist every policy initiative of the government.

Beijing’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office said the primary “blatantly challenges” the Basic

Law and violated the national security law.