Uploaded May 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
CORRECTIONS:
Someone pointed out that the photo that Amazon shows of the book "The Unnatural Origin of SARS and New Species of Man-Made Viruses as Genetic Bioweapons" in its ad is the wrong photo. It's Amazon's error, and doesn't affect the substance of the book, but worth pointing out all the same.
SOURCES:
A number of people asked why there is no source for my claim that China censors the media. I've been reporting out of China for 30 years, and I guess I take it for granted that the things I experienced first-hand are now well known, even by those who have never been working journalists there. So here are a few sources, starting with the Reporters Without Borders ranking of countries in terms of press freedom, which ranks the PCR (China) 177th out of 180:
rsf.org/en/ranking
The 2021 RSF report says:
"[S]tate and privately-owned media organizations are all strictly controlled by the Communist Party. By making extensive use of the latest technology, President Xi Jinping has succeeded in imposing a social model based on the control of news and information and the surveillance of citizens. Of the 100-plus journalists and bloggers now in prison, some held in life-threatening conditions, at least three journalists and three political commentators have been arrested in connection with the pandemic. The government has also tightened its grip on social networks, censoring many key words linked to coronavirus. The crackdown on foreign correspondents has been tightened with 16 being expelled since the start of the year."
See also:
"Cheng Lei: Why has an Australian TV anchor been detained by China?"
bbc.com/news/world-australia-53980706
"China worst offender in record-breaking year for jailing of journalists"
theguardian.com/media/2020/dec/15/china-jails-the-most-journalists-for-second-year-running
"Press Freedom Day: Missing citizen journalists in China"
dw.com/en/china-covid-citizen-journalists/a-57409694
"Chinese Citizen Journalist Sentenced to 4 Years for Covid Reporting"
nytimes.com/2020/12/28/world/asia/china-Zhang-Zhan-covid-convicted.html
OTHER SOURCES FROM VIDEO:
" Leaked 2015 Chinese Military Document Reveals A Discussion By Top Chinese Scientists To Weaponize The SARS Coronavirus To Cripple Medical Systems"
warnewsupdates.blogspot.com/2021/05/leaked-2015-chinese-military-document.html?m=1
news.com.au story:
https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavirus/leaked-chinese-document-reveals-a-sinister-plan-to-unleash-coronaviruses/news-story/53674e8108ad5a655e07e990daa85465
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/editorials/covid-as-biological-war-china-paper-needs-answers/news-story/fc878ba201bb5f070c5c3b60a254298f
Sky news:
https://www.skynews.com.au/details/_6253329329001
Chinese book title: 非典非自然起源和人制人新种病毒基因武器-李峰-徐德忠
Authors： 李峰 徐德忠
Amazon sale:
https://www.amazon.com.au/非典非自然起源和人制人新种病毒基因武器-李峰-徐德忠/dp/B012984EOI
Reader's review:
zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/347890903
Amazingly, several posts rejected my claim that news outlets in China are often ordered to follow the government line. If you really need a source for that, it is my 30 years of reporting from China.
If you would like a more authoritative source than my own reporting, try rsf.org/en/ranking, which puts China at 177th place out of 180 countries in terms of press freedom.
Or worldpoliticsreview.com/trend-lines/29313/amid-a-crackdown-on-journalism-china-zeroes-in-on-local-reporters
cfr.org/backgrounder/media-censorship-china
CORRECTIONS:
Someone pointed out that the photo that Amazon shows of the book "The Unnatural Origin of SARS and New Species of Man-Made Viruses as Genetic Bioweapons" in its ad is the wrong photo. It's Amazon's error, and doesn't affect the substance of the book, but worth pointing out all the same.
SOURCES:
A number of people asked why there is no source for my claim that China censors the media. I've been reporting out of China for 30 years, and I guess I take it for granted that the things I experienced first-hand are now well known, even by those who have never been working journalists there. So here are a few sources, starting with the Reporters Without Borders ranking of countries in terms of press freedom, which ranks the PCR (China) 177th out of 180:
rsf.org/en/ranking
The 2021 RSF report says:
"[S]tate and privately-owned media organizations are all strictly controlled by the Communist Party. By making extensive use of the latest technology, President Xi Jinping has succeeded in imposing a social model based on the control of news and information and the surveillance of citizens. Of the 100-plus journalists and bloggers now in prison, some held in life-threatening conditions, at least three journalists and three political commentators have been arrested in connection with the pandemic. The government has also tightened its grip on social networks, censoring many key words linked to coronavirus. The crackdown on foreign correspondents has been tightened with 16 being expelled since the start of the year."
See also:
"Cheng Lei: Why has an Australian TV anchor been detained by China?"
bbc.com/news/world-australia-53980706
"China worst offender in record-breaking year for jailing of journalists"
theguardian.com/media/2020/dec/15/china-jails-the-most-journalists-for-second-year-running
"Press Freedom Day: Missing citizen journalists in China"
dw.com/en/china-covid-citizen-journalists/a-57409694
"Chinese Citizen Journalist Sentenced to 4 Years for Covid Reporting"
nytimes.com/2020/12/28/world/asia/china-Zhang-Zhan-covid-convicted.html
OTHER SOURCES FROM VIDEO:
" Leaked 2015 Chinese Military Document Reveals A Discussion By Top Chinese Scientists To Weaponize The SARS Coronavirus To Cripple Medical Systems"
warnewsupdates.blogspot.com/2021/05/leaked-2015-chinese-military-document.html?m=1
news.com.au story:
https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavirus/leaked-chinese-document-reveals-a-sinister-plan-to-unleash-coronaviruses/news-story/53674e8108ad5a655e07e990daa85465
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/editorials/covid-as-biological-war-china-paper-needs-answers/news-story/fc878ba201bb5f070c5c3b60a254298f
Sky news:
https://www.skynews.com.au/details/_6253329329001
Chinese book title: 非典非自然起源和人制人新种病毒基因武器-李峰-徐德忠
Authors： 李峰 徐德忠
Amazon sale:
https://www.amazon.com.au/非典非自然起源和人制人新种病毒基因武器-李峰-徐德忠/dp/B012984EOI
Reader's review:
zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/347890903
Amazingly, several posts rejected my claim that news outlets in China are often ordered to follow the government line. If you really need a source for that, it is my 30 years of reporting from China.
If you would like a more authoritative source than my own reporting, try rsf.org/en/ranking, which puts China at 177th place out of 180 countries in terms of press freedom.
Or worldpoliticsreview.com/trend-lines/29313/amid-a-crackdown-on-journalism-china-zeroes-in-on-local-reporters
cfr.org/backgrounder/media-censorship-china
