After Stabbing, Fears Grow About Hong Kong Media Freedom

Published February 26, 2014 at 12:40 PM CST

Pro-democracy activists hold a sign with an image of former chief editor of the Ming Pao daily Kevin Lau Chun-to as they attend a candlelight vigil at a hospital, to urge the police to solve the stabbing incident involving Lau, on February 26, 2014 in Hong Kong. (Lam Yik Fei/Getty Images)

The former editor of the Hong Kong daily newspaper Ming Pao is fighting for his life after being stabbed in Hong Kong this morning by an assailant on a motocycle.

Kevin Lau Chun-to was editor of the newspaper when it took part in an investigation published last month that exposed offshore tax havens that have helped the relatives of Chinese leaders hide wealth.

His removal as editor and his stabbing are prompting concerns about media freedom in Hong Kong, as China’s influence grows over the semi-autonomous territory.

Here & Now’s Jeremy Hobson speaks with Shirley Yam, vice-chair of the Hong Kong Journalists Association, and James Fallows, a longtime China watcher and national correspondent for The Atlantic.

Guests

Shirley Yam, vice-chair of the Hong Kong Journalists Association.
James Fallows, national correspondent for The Atlantic. He tweets @JamesFallows.