National Press Club leaders call on USG to raise case of Yuyu Dong during Xi visit
WASHINGTON, Nov. 11 – Following is a statement from Eileen O’Reilly, president of the National Press Club and Gil Klein, president of the National Press Club Journalism Institute on the opportunity to raise the case of journalist Yuyu Dong during the visit by President Xi Jinping to San Francisco Nov. 15.
“During the important bilateral meeting with China earlier this year, it is our understanding that neither Secretary Blinken, nor anyone else from the U.S. side, raised human rights cases other than those of three American hostages.
“We wish the USG had also raised the cases of Chinese journalists – including Yuyu Dong and Jimmy Lai. Mr Dong is an editor and columnist for one of China’s leading newspapers and a Nieman Fellow from Harvard. We urge President Biden and his team to ask about Yuyu Dong in these meetings next week.
“Mr. Dong was arrested the day after the Winter Olympics ended in Beijing. That was nearly two years ago. There has been a trial, but no verdict, and he continues to be held in jail without being able to see his family or speak to them. Mr. Dong’s case is part of the general and aggressive crackdown the Xi government has brought against journalists and academics. This policy is in stark contrast to the kinds of people-to-people cultural exchanges that were central to improving relations between the U.S. and China in recent decades.
“We note that Mr. Dong is listed among the Chinese political prisoners identified by the bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China and sent to President Biden in a Nov. 8 letter. Mr. Dong appears to be one of the only full-time journalists on this list, which also includes Hong Kong Publisher Jimmy Lai. We call on the Administration to raise Mr. Lai’s case as well.”
About the National Press Club
Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world’s leading professional organization for journalists. The Club has 3,000 members representing nearly every major journalism organization and is a leading voice for press freedom in the United States and around the world.
About the National Press Club Journalism Institute
The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes an engaged global citizenry through an independent and free press, and equips journalists with skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire a more representative democracy. As the nonprofit affiliate of the National Press Club, the Institute powers journalism in the public interest.
Contact: Bill McCarren, 202-662-7534 for the National Press Club