Our Statement on Boycotting VOA

May 4, 2017 | International Relations, News, Publications, Statements

Our Statement on Boycotting VOA
 Yang Jianli, Chen Guangcheng, Han Lianchao, Ho Pin, Wang Kang
May 3, 2017
In view of the Voice of America’s top leadership’s arbitrary action under the direct pressure from the Chinese government to cut short a live VOA interview with Guo Wengui, a Chinese businessman turned whistleblower on Chinese government corruption, and considering VOA management’s  subsequent unsatisfying explanation of its decision for this interruption which broke the commitment made by VOA to Mr. Guo for three hours pre-announced interview on April 19 and to its audience, and most importantly on the grounds that VOA director Amanda Bennett’s recent decision to suspend indefinitely five VOA Mandarin Service reporters and digital media experts (Gong Xiaoxia, Dong Fang, Li Su, Baoshen and Yang Chen) who resisted the VOA leadership’s attempt to interrupt the program, we, contracted commentators and regular guests of the VOA Mandarin program, announce that we uphold our rights to speak freely, and to engage in media programs expressing diverse perspectives without pressures from any governments on historical or contemporary issues, and that from today on, we do not accept VOA’s interviews, nor participate in any VOA program until the “interruption” incident to be resolved fully and convincingly.