Number of Licensed Journalists in China Declined by 27.4 Percent in the Last Decade

A soldier of the People's Liberation Army stops a photojournalist from shooting in Tiananmen Square at The Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on May 25, 2020. Andrea Verdelli/Getty Images

Under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s censorship and tight control, the number of China’s licensed journalists is dwindling.

Between mid-January and late April, the State Administration of Press and Publications organized the annual press card verification. Chinese reporters were required to take a test as part of the renewal process. State-run Xinhua News Agency recently reported that as of April 30, a total of 3,676 news outlets and 180,075 journalists in China had passed the renewal, while 24 news outlets and 353 journalists had their press credentials suspended.