China expels Wall Street Journal reporter after report on Xi’s family

A Wall Street Journal reporter who wrote extensively on Chinese President Xi Jinping was forced to leave China after the country declined to renew his press credentials.

The visa of Chun Han Wong, a Singaporean national, could not be renewed without press credentials and the reporter was forced to leave the country on Friday, the Journal reported.

The Journal applied to renew Wong’s credentials last month and his visa expired without approval for renewal.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs reportedly did not give the newspaper a reason for its decision, but told The Washington Post in a statement that it managed matters pertaining to foreign news outlets and reporters according to the country’s laws.{mosads}

“We firmly oppose that a few foreign reporters are maliciously tarnishing China, and we don’t welcome such reporters,” it told the Post.

Wong was one of two journalists who reported an article for the Journal stating that Xi’s cousin was facing scrutiny from Australian law enforcement.

Ministry officials warned the Journal of unspecified consequences if the story were published, according to the Journal.

“It is disappointing that the Chinese government has denied our reporter press credentials,” Wall Street Journal Editor-in-Chief Matt Murray said, according to the paper.

“Our journalism has been fair and accurate. We of course remain committed to covering the important story of China with the usual high standards that our readers expect,” he added. 

Wong has written about Chinese politics and foreign affairs and has covered Xi’s rise to power.

The country’s government has previously revoked reporters’ credentials, including those of BuzzFeed News reporter Megha Rajagopalan, who has covered the detention of Muslims in China’s Xinjiang region.