Originally posted by the Voice of America.
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China Detains VOA Mandarin Correspondent

by Haiyang Zhang

   Voice of America's Mandarin Service correspondent and a multimedia
   journalist working for VOA were detained Monday evening by Chinese
   police while attempting to interview a retired Chinese professor who
   was taken away by authorities during a live television interview with
   VOA nearly two weeks ago.
   Correspondent Yibing Feng and VOA contractor Alan Ai were taken into
   custody in Jinan, Shandong province after talking to professor Sun
   Wenguang, 84, through a closed door of his apartment. Sun told Feng
   details of his detention and thanked VOA for allowing him to express
   his freedom of speech on the air.
   Authorities in the apartment hallway attempted several times to disrupt
   the interview and ordered Feng and his Chinese assistant to leave the
   building. The two reporters were then held by police at the building
   exit. They are still believed to be in police custody.
   "It is outrageous that two journalists have been detained for nothing
   more than doing their jobs," said VOA Director Amanda Bennett. She
   called for them to be released immediately.
   Sun Wenguang, who was detained earlier this month, was only recently
   allowed to return home under strict security, close friends told VOA on
   Monday. Chinese authorities have refused to comment on his detention.

   On Monday, the professor shouted answers to VOA's questions from behind
   a locked door saying that he was moved to several locations after being
   detained August 1, including Yanzi Mountain Villa at Jinan Military
   Region, a military-linked hotel and reception center in Jinan, his
   hometown. He was taken to four places, often staying for one or two
   days under a security watch, he said.
   "Now I have been locked in at my dwelling," he said. "My wife and I
   have been in a forced trip outside our residence for 10 days and we
   stayed in four hotels. And now we are back to our home finally. But
   they sent four security guys to sleep in our home.
   "Here in China, we have a lack of freedom of press," the professor
   said. "Authorities have blocked and suppress press freedom. Chinese
   authorities have a practice of trade barrier and press barrier. Why can
   Chinese reporters act as journalists in the U.S. freely while U.S.
   reporters cannot do normal journalistic work in China?"
   Security personnel in the hallway attempted to stop the interview with
   one saying: "We have our laws and regulations."

   Earlier this month, Sun was taken away during a live telephone
   interview on the VOA Mandarin television show Issues & Opinions as he
   was criticizing China's foreign aid and diplomatic strategy in Africa.
   During the interview, he told VOA that authorities were breaking into
   his house in an attempt to prevent him from speaking out against the
   government.

   The professor returned home after more than 150 alumni of China's
   Shandong University - where he taught for decades - wrote an open
   letter to authorities, urging the school to ensure his personal safety
   and freedom.
   Wang Shujun, a co-signer of the open letter, told VOA that he was
   shocked about the incident, which he thought was outrageous,
   uncivilized and unconstitutional. He noted that the local authorities
   in Jinan, the capital of Shandong province, severely hurt China's
   international image by treating the outspoken critic so rudely and
   recklessly.

   "Even President Xi Jinping wouldn't be happy if he learned what
   happened to the professor," said Wang in a telephone interview with VOA
   Sunday.

   Chinese authorities, including leaders of Shandong University, have
   kept silent about the incident involving professor Sun despite
   continuing inquiries from VOA and other international media.

   * This is a developing story which will be updated