Selina Cheng, the chair of the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA), found herself suddenly unemployed, just weeks after stepping into her new role. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), her employer, terminated her position, citing restructuring. However, Cheng believes there's more to the story.
She expressed her shock and dismay during her first press conference as HKJA chair, announcing that she had been "fired for taking up this position in a press union." Cheng firmly believes her termination is directly tied to her role at the HKJA, which she assumed on June 22. She shared that her employer had discouraged her from running for the chair position, warning her that it would be “incompatible with my employment at the Wall Street Journal.”
On Wednesday, Cheng was informed that her termination was part of a restructuring effort. Previously, she covered China’s automobile and energy sectors for the WSJ. Cheng mentioned that although several reporters were laid off from the Hong Kong bureau in early May, she was retained due to the significance of her reporting area in Asia. However, it appears that the WSJ is now planning to relocate her role out of Hong Kong.
The WSJ denies any connection between Cheng’s termination and her position at the HKJA. A Dow Jones spokesperson, WSJ’s parent company, stated, “While we can confirm that we made some personnel changes today, we don’t comment on specific individuals. The Wall Street Journal has been and continues to be a fierce and vocal advocate for press freedom in Hong Kong and around the world.”
The HKJA, one of Hong Kong’s last remaining civil society groups amidst Beijing’s crackdown on freedoms, expressed disappointment and outrage at the WSJ’s decision. They argued that by pressuring employees to avoid involvement with the HKJA, the WSJ risks accelerating the decline of independent journalism in Hong Kong. They also noted that other potential board candidates had been similarly pressured by their employers to step down.
Cheng’s editor reportedly advised her that WSJ employees should avoid being seen as advocates for press freedom in “places like Hong Kong” due to potential conflicts of interest, given the newspaper's coverage of press freedom issues in the city. This sentiment seems contradictory, especially considering the WSJ’s recent editorial highlighting the global decline of press freedom, with specific mentions of China and Hong Kong as dangerous places for journalists.
Cheng’s treatment by the WSJ took her by surprise. She pointed out the contrast between her situation and the support the WSJ showed for Evan Gershkovich, a colleague detained in Russia on politically motivated spying charges. Cheng felt that the Journal had previously supported media freedoms and the rights of journalists to operate safely.
Hong Kong’s employment law protects the rights of workers to be a member or officer of a trade union, and Cheng is contemplating legal action against the WSJ. Eric Lai, a research fellow at the Georgetown Centre for Asian Law, commented that Cheng’s dismissal could be seen as a form of anti-union discrimination under both domestic and international legal terms. He lamented that the WSJ’s actions are enabling the further erosion of press freedom and trade union rights for journalists in Hong Kong.
Despite Hong Kong’s basic law guaranteeing press freedom, the reality has seen a rapid decline. Between 2019, the year of the pro-democracy protests, and 2023, Hong Kong’s ranking on the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index plummeted over 60 places.
The HKJA has been under mounting pressure and criticism from government officials in recent months. Chinese state media has labeled the association as “a base for anti-China separatist forces.” This backdrop of increasing scrutiny adds another layer of complexity to Cheng’s dismissal and the broader challenges facing press freedom in Hong Kong.
It’s clear that the WSJ’s decision has wider implications. By discouraging its employees from participating in organizations like the HKJA, it sets a precedent that could further stifle the already shrinking space for independent journalism in Hong Kong. The global community watches closely as these developments unfold, concerned about the future of press freedom in the region.
Cheng’s situation brings to light the delicate balance journalists must navigate in Hong Kong, a city where press freedom is increasingly under threat. The actions of prominent media organizations like the WSJ not only impact individual journalists but also have a ripple effect on the broader landscape of media freedom and civil society in the city. The coming months will be crucial in determining how these tensions evolve and what it means for the future of journalism in Hong Kong.
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