JOURNALIST CHANG PING YET TO RECEIVE A WORK PERMIT

PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY 6 DECEMBER 2011.

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In an open letter in the Hong Kong government, Reporters Without Borders asks why the visa request by journalist Chang Ping remains unanswered.

6 December 2011

Donald Tsang 
Chief Executive 
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 
People’s Republic of China 
Tamar, Hong Kong

Immigration Dept. 
Immigration Tower, 
Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Dear Sir

Visa application by Mr. Zhang Ping

Reporters Without Borders, an organization that campaigns for freedom of the press and freedom of information, wishes to draw your attention to the case of Mr. Zhang Ping, also known as Chang Ping (长平). A journalist and blogger, he is a former deputy editor of Nanfang Zhoumo (南方周末) and for the past five months he has been unable to take up his post in Hong Kong as editor of the online magazine Sun Affairs(阳光时务), owned by Sun TV, which he was due to have started in July this year. Up till now, Zhang Ping has faced unexplained silence on the part of the Hong Kong Immigration Department.

After he was appointed to the post in March, Mr. Zhang Ping applied to your government’s Immigration Department for a work visa. As a general rule, applications of this kind are dealt with in four weeks. As of today, he has received no response, either accepting or rejecting his request. No explanation has been given for this silence. The department concerned has merely informed him that his application is under review.

This unusual and unexplained delay leads us to fear there has been direct political interference by the Beijing authorities with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in order to prevent the journalist from taking up his post with a newspaper that Chinese officialdom has had in its sights for several years. The recent blockage of the website of the Sun TV online magazine that he was meant to edit is not unrelated to our concerns. With no warning or explanation, the television station was refused permission by the Chinese authorities to broadcast its programmes by cable at the end of 2009.

On several occasions Mr. Zhang Ping, a respected journalist in China, has paid for his stand in favour of press freedom and his refusal to work under censorship. In 2008, he was dismissed as deputy editor of the daily Nandu Zhoukan Zazhi (应为南都周刊杂志) for publishing editorials on Tibet that were at odds with the official line. On 28 January this year, he was forced to resign from his post with Nanfang Baoye Jituan (南方报业集团) for refusing to make changes to articles he had written. Since then, he has been banned from publishing anything he has written in any medium, whether in newspapers or on the Internet. All of his articles published online have been deleted.

In the light of these worrying events, we request that you do all in you power to ensure that Mr. Zhang Ping’s work visa is granted without delay so that he can take up his appointment as soon as possible.

Thank you for your consideration of this matter and please accept my sincere regards.

Jean-François Julliard 
Secretary General, Reporters Without Borders

November 30, 2011 1:22 am

Talk is cheap in the world’s factory

By Rahul Jacob

Wang Yang, the Communist party secretary of Guangdong and the wealthy southern Chinese province’s most powerful official, has a nice populist touch. To honour the province’s 30m migrants from elsewhere in China who have made Guangdong the world’s largest factory, he last year invited a couple of hundred migrant workers to a movie about migrants.

More recently, he turned his charm on for executives from EDF, General Electric and Fujitsu at a meeting to discuss transforming Guangdong’s industrial base and attracting more high-tech companies.

That might be part of the reason, but dispassionate observers would say the lack of freedom of expression and the inability of people to vote is responsible for China’s shortcomings when it comes to innovation.Speaking about the need for more innovation, Mr Wang said China’s students lacked an innovative spirit. “Compared with students from developed countries, we still have a lot of room to improve,” he said. He blamed a culture of exams and a tendency for more than 2000 years to regard “a teacher’s answers as the final answer”.

Since Mr Wang took over as the province’s leader in 2007, Guangzhou’s Southern Metropolis Daily – known for its relatively hard-hitting coverage – increasingly reads like a propaganda sheet. Chang Ping, a well-respected Guangzhou columnist, is no longer able to write articles for the city’s newspapers.

Call it contagion, but some of this is travelling across the border to Hong Kong, which enjoys an autonomous city administration under the terms of its return to China in 1997 – and, notably, a robustly critical press. Mysteriously, however, Mr Chang’s employment visa to work in Hong Kong as the editor of a magazine has been delayed by Hong Kong’s immigration department for eight months.

Last month, Mr Wang is understood to have told Guangzhou’s editors to report more freely, but on Monday he clarified and said what he wanted was more good news.

Bright sparks

It’s hard to tell whether some celestial prankster has put something into Guangzhou’s water supply recently, but its citizens’ propensity to protest against the government’s initiatives is ever more innovative. Earlier this year, a teenager started a lone protest against the wasteful redecoration of an underground station. Another Guangzhou resident took on the city’s plan to light up the skyline at night, estimated to cost Rmb150m. He started a bizarre online effort to persuade people to shave their heads, arguing that this was a cheaper way to illuminate the city as the light bounced off their bald pates. Amazingly, 80 people joined this protest. Then, like a baton being passed effortlessly, a college student asked the city’s authorities to explain why they were spending so much money on lighting up the city’s buildings by the river. When she did not receive a satisfactory reply, she sent the authorities a rubber ball – a Chinese way of saying that the person receiving it is passing the buck.

In the past two weeks, when a couple of demonstrations turned violent after the police beat factory workers protesting a cut in wages, Mr Wang himself bore the brunt of the province’s scatological wit. Earlier this year, he had taken a leaf out of Bhutan’s playbook by suggesting that the province focus on well-being and happiness. “Happy Guangdong”, one of Mr Wang’s slogans, should now be changed to Rioting Guangdong, say his critics.

Civilized cities

This week, Guangzhou was selected as one of the finalists in China’s civilised city campaign. Guangzhou gets our vote as a far more civilised place than Linyi City in the northern province of Shandong, also a finalist. On the outskirts of Linyi City, reporters and well-wishers of the blind human rights lawyer, Chen Guangcheng, have been brutally beaten for trying to visit him. By contrast, for months Guangzhou’s pedestrian crossings have had volunteers wearing bright yellow sashes ushering people across. There is a need for such courtesy to be transported to the mass transit system. Line 3 features a station where both sides of the subway car open and people from one platform try to cross to another line by hurling themselves in the path of people disembarking from the train. It’s more like a rugby scrum than a rugby scrum. I have a few bruises to show for it.

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Hong Kong visa held up for veteran editor

By David Bandurski | Posted on 2011-11-25

According to a report in yesterday’s Ming Pao Daily, an application for a Hong Kong work visa by veteran Chinese journalist Zhang Ping (张平), generally known by the penname Chang Ping (长平), has been held up for eight months by the Immigration Department, raising concerns that his application might be subject to political interference by Chinese authorities.

Chang, a well-known Chinese commentary writer who was formerly a top editor at both Southern Weekend and Southern Metropolis Daily, was offered a position at Hong Kong’s Sun TV in March this year and filed a visa application under Hong Kong’s Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals. Visas under the scheme generally require no more than four weeks to process, but reportedly neither Chang nor his would-be employer have received notice of acceptance or denial.

“I have asked them [the Immigration Department] about it, and they simply say that [my application] is under review,” Chang was quoted by the paper as saying.

Chinese authorities recently blocked internet access on the mainland to an online magazine published by Sun TV that Chang Ping was expected to head up as chief editor.

References:

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15557479,00.html

:http://news.mingpao.com/20111125/gca1.htm
http://news.mingpao.com/20111125/gca2.htm

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15543653,00.html

http://www.changp.com/2011/11/841.htm

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/28/world/asia/28china.html?_r=1

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/27/china-press-freedom

新闻报道 | 2011.11.25

长平遭香港入境处调查"打黑工"

漫画家邝飚在2010年8月为长平所作的漫画

11日23日，《阳光时务》主编长平8个月来首次收到香港入境处的邮件，就其入港工作一事进行解释，称正在调查长平早前在港做访问学者期间是否"打黑工"？支联会副主席蔡耀昌疑入境处此举背后有政治原因。

 

【明報專訊】對內地《南都周刊》前副總編輯兼時事評論員長平，透過「輸入人才計劃」申請來港陽光衛視工作但8個月仍無音信，長平昨日向本報表示，入境處正調查他在3月份到香港浸會大學作訪問學人時收取報酬，有在港「打黑工」之嫌，以致到陽光衛視工作的簽證申請需時。長平直指入境處說法「荒唐」，沒理由學術交流也要工作簽證。

申港工作被拖 港府稱年初違例

中大及浸大的學者均不同意入境處的看法（見另稿）。本報就長平個案向浸大查詢，浸大昨回應指出，大學會不時邀請內地學者來港作學術交流，但強調「雙方並無僱傭關係」，這間接反駁了入境處的說法。浸大補充，若浸大聘請外來學者來港教學及工作，不論長期或短期，都會協助學者申請工作簽證。

曾因多次撰寫批評內地政府文章、今年1月被南方報業集團解職的長平，因獲香港陽光衛視聘為高層，今年3月起申請經輸入人才計劃來港，但原僅需1個月審批的個案，拖了8個月都無下文，卻又不作解釋，令人關注是否有政治考慮。

長平指本報周一（21日）報道此事件後，入境處終肯回應他，指審批時間久是因為「本處在審核有關申請時，發現你（長平）涉嫌曾在港以旅客身分，未經本處許可下，從事僱傭工作因而違反逗留條件。本處現正調查……待調查有結果後，本處會繼續審理你的申請」。他致電追問下，入境處才回應指涉嫌的非法工作是指他今年3月在浸大講學，並要求他親自回香港當面說明，長平認為這是荒唐要求。

長平出示浸大的邀請函，信中浸大邀長平於今年3月至5月赴港，望通過課程、講座、研討會等向傳理學院講學，開拓學生視野，信中指「學院將支付張平（長平的原名）赴港往返交通及在港住宿費」。長平指此信證明此行純是學術交流，並無薪酬，只得車馬費（約每月6000元）及大學提供單人房。

入境處﹕工作性質是關鍵

長平強調無獨立授課，只是當嘉賓與授課教師作一些課程講座，絕非受僱或非法工作，若訪問學人這樣交流講學都要申請工作簽證，他恐怕「全世界都會笑話」，希望媒體能公開討論。但入境處消息人士強調，車馬費也可是薪酬，入境處決定入境旅客是否非法工作，關鍵是工作性質而非酬勞高低，故堅持調查長平是否違逗留條件，是合理做法。

明報記者

學者：僅收車馬費不應視受僱

【明報專訊】海外學者到本港大學講學交流，大學一般都會支付車馬費甚至機票費用，那怎樣才算是「受僱講學」而要向入境處申請工作簽證？有大學教職員坦言，當中有灰色地帶，有時不易界定，但浸大新聞系助理教授杜耀明及中大新聞與傳播學院教授蘇鑰機都認為，若長平在港無獨立授課兼只每月收約6000元車馬費，按理應毋須申請工作簽證，若入境處這樣也嚴厲詮釋為「違反逗留條件」，恐會妨礙學術交流。

嚴厲詮釋礙學術交流

蘇鑰機指出，若講學者每天僅收約200元車馬費或生活費，應不能視之為受聘教學，他和杜耀明不約而同指出，訪問學者若真的在港授課，月薪起碼都在四五萬元以上。曾經邀請長平在自己課堂作嘉賓向學生講述內地新聞及媒體情�的杜耀明稱，長平只是嘉賓，並無獨立授課，更沒有主理任何一科目，故他認同長平並非受僱教學。

港大發言人稱，外地學者在港大的交流講學一般較少會超過一個月（長平來港近3個月），若外地學者在港大講學數個月以上或者涉及較具體教學工作，大學一般會要求對方申請工作簽證。

[临沂离北京的政治距离，并不比地理距离更遥远。]

在中国山东临沂市有一个村子，任何陌生人从此经过都会遭到严格盘查，骚扰阻挠，甚至殴打关押。最近有上百人前往验证，屡试不爽。新华社所属《国家财经周刊》记者石玉是其中一位，他利用假期和朋友前往该村，在路口就被拦截，然后被一伙不明身份者抓进车里，戴上头套，拉到不知何处的屋子里，关押殴打和抢劫，非法拘禁约20个小时，随后警方以涉嫌盗窃的理由将他遣送回原籍。两周以后，他被所在媒体解除工作关系。

这个村子里住着一位叫陈光诚的盲人律师。他曾经帮助残疾人讨回法律规定但地方政府拒绝执行的减免税费，帮助村民减除不该负担的土地承包费，还揭发当地计划生育政策中的野蛮行径，因此而被控以故意破坏财物罪和聚众扰乱交通罪入狱四年。刑满释放之后，即便在构陷他的法律中，他也理当回归自由之身。然而，他的家成了新的囚牢，而且比监狱看得更紧。他与外界的一切联系被切断。数以百计的陌生人遭到拘禁、殴打和抢劫，就是因为被认为是前来探访他。为此，从他家到附近国道路口，常年都有数十人看守。

很多人想不明白，为什么要对一个盲人如此残忍，为什么要明目张胆地侵犯人权，为什么可以肆无忌惮地藐视法律？有一些不肯相信自己生活在这样的社会中的人说，这是只会发生在山东临沂的一个特例，原因是那地方的法治比较落后，官员比较狠毒，而且可能就是因为刚好遇到几任市委书记都特别坏。他们认为，这种事不大可能发生在北京、上海和广州这样的大城市，大城市的官员也会觉得临沂给共产党和中国抹黑，只要让中央领导知道这事，特别是让主张公平正义的温家宝总理知道这事，一个批示就可能解救陈光诚。

我不怀疑通过舆论的压力，有可能让中央领导批示地方政府放人。但这是社会抗议的结果，而不是山东临沂的作为让他们感到多么震惊——事实上陈光诚事件早为国际社会所关注，北京有关方面并非毫不知情。如果临沂真是一个例外，那么新华社下属媒体记者石玉在遭到野蛮殴打、非法关押和公然抢劫，回到北京之后，应该得到同事、领导以及更上级机构的同情、安慰和支持。事实上，尽管石玉声明这是个人行为，所属媒体还是受到压力，让他失去了工作。此事足以说明，陈光诚律师在山东临沂的遭遇，是一个系统性反应的结果。

在自由社会，石玉完全可以以记者的身份去探访陈光诚。但是在中国，他只能利用假期，以个人身份往前临沂，结果同样不被容忍。和自由社会中记者工作变更不同，在中国记者因为对敏感事件公开表态而被迫离职，是一种来自公权力的政治性惩罚。由于所有的媒体都受宣传部门管控，从理论上说这样的记者已被所有媒体拒之门外。

临沂当局收买曾受惠于陈光诚抗争的本人地充当打手，并给予他们公开抢劫路人财物的机会，这对社会和人心的破坏实在是恶劣至极。但是，这样的事情，又何尝不是每天发生在北京、上海和广州等大城市？中国公开的非法监禁，相当部分都发生在标榜文明的大城市里。跟囚禁工人的黑煤窑及关押陈光诚的临沂不同的是，大城市的监禁更加严厉，也更加令人恐惧，很少有人敢于公然挑衅性地前往探访。假如发生这样的探访，谁也不敢保证探访者不会遭到相同甚至更惨的报复。临沂离北京的政治距离，并不比地理距离更遥远。

因此，很多中国人对于陈光诚的声援，不仅仅是一种路见不平的同情，而且是对危及己身的系统性暴行的反抗。也正因为如此，他们所遭受的往往是一种系统性的报复。但是，毫无疑问地，这些报复也增加了系统运作的成本，最终会导致其破产。

同理，这些抗争也会导致系统的其他部分发生改变。近年来由于媒体市场化及媒体人的坚持，也由于整个社会的抗争力量不断增强，像石玉这样受到不公正对待的记者往往还有重新找到工作的机会。

长平

欣闻广东言论解禁，我赶紧联系几位熟悉的编辑，问我被禁的名字是否可以在此地报纸上重见天日。都说不可，你别当真。还有编辑说，感觉更紧了。

一道分明是放开言论的命令，为什么让编辑压力更大？我所在的杂志，约请熟悉内情的人来解答，作者附言更证实了这点：要立即删除底稿，而且勿寄稿费，以免留下蛛丝马迹。这种内部的恐怖气氛，和外界所欢呼的言论突破，形成了多么大的反差。

 其实不难理解。只要媒体人的工作还处于领导和宣传部门的命令之下，不管这个命令是禁止异地监督还是加强本地监督，其本质还是俯首听命，多一道命令就多一道负担。

对于赏赐的自由，过去跪谢“皇恩浩荡”，现在首肯“总算进步”。我当然知道，要求监督和禁止监督相比较，前者只能算作“进步”。不过从延安时期开始，到大鸣大放，到尊重知识尊重人才，到“代表先进文化的前进方向”，到四川地震和北京奥运，在中共的言论管制历史上，这样的“进步”我们已经领教过多次。每一次都是

真的给了些自由，但是要倒退更多也易如反掌。

就在近些年里，我印象深刻的“进步”，就有汪洋赴广东上任伊始提倡的思想解放。为什么过了这么多年，还要重新开始“言论突破”？还有仇和刚到昆明的时候，要求新闻媒体做领导的“保健医生”，不知道这些年昆明领导的病体好转了没有？至少我没有听说昆明的媒体比别处拥有更多的自由。对了，还有李鸿忠，坐镇深圳和湖北的时候，都大谈特谈舆论监督的重要，后来却在全国“两会”上亲自夺抢女记者的录音笔。

真正的言论自由是什么？对于媒体来说，那就是政府少管，领导不管，而且想管也管不了。媒体有独立的判断力和发表权，可以在领导要求监督的时候不搞监督，在领导要求不监督的时候大搞监督。尤其重要的是，媒体最要监督的人，并不是最高领导的下属官员，而是最高领导本人。

我并不否认有真正想要推动媒体开放的领导人，言论自由的历史上也有大量政要赫赫在榜。关键是要怎样做才有效，才算数。首先应该解禁的，是这个推动的行动本身。不是一次秘密的内部讲话，不是宣传部门发的一纸通知，不是媒体圈内的兴奋传言，也不是对宫廷政治的揣测和分析，而是公开地推动制度性的变化。

无论是台湾、前苏联和东欧的言论解禁，还是最近的缅甸变局，都是要么签署了法令，撤销了新闻审查部门，要么放开了对外国媒体和网站的屏蔽，释放所有因言获罪的人。广东或者中国至少要能做到其中一点，才可以称得上真正的进步。

我忘不了几年前在美国伯克立大学访学时，小组中有一位来自缅甸的同行，年轻、俊美而又阳光。到项目快结束的时候，他突然忧郁得让人不忍多看。原来他在缅甸写文章冒犯了军政府，逃到美国，正面临下一步何去何从。我问他回去会发生什么？他做了一个枪毙的手势。当时我庆幸自己生在中国，最多是丢掉工作而已。如今缅甸竟然解严了，这让那些总是宣称不慢慢来就会社会大乱的人情何以堪？

同时我想要说，在言论自由的道路上，没有自由即是禁锢，没有进步即是倒退，并不存在暧昧的中间状态；而且自由是一种抗争的过程，而不是一劳永逸的享受。这就是为什么香港和台湾也面临着“赤化”威胁。先哲有云，“只要还有一个人被奴役，所有人都不自由”，并非只是一句好听的口号。任何一个国家的媒体受压制，都是全人类的言论不自由。

发表于《阳光时务》第六期