All but one of the American correspondents working for The Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and the Washington Post have already been expelled from China. The media has been the informational lubricant that has made it easier for the U.S. and China to trade, invest in each other’s economies, and become economically intertwined. But the field on which journalism has been practiced has long been in need of leveling. The current standoff reminds me of the situation I encountered upon arriving in Mao’s China 45 years ago as a correspondent for the New Yorker. In the new wing of the Peking Hotel, the lobby had no check-in counter or concierge, but did boast a newsstand—of sorts.

Source: Wall Street Journal August 14, 2020 19:18 UTC