Without assured or consistent Congressional funding being disbursed by the USAGM, RFA’s has shrunk down its operations, with some language services going completely dark. The latest casualty was RFA Cantonese, among the last fiercely independent outlets in Hong Kong. RFA’s reporters have always risked their personal safety to report on what’s being ignored and censored by the CCP-controlled media - just watch this video of our coverage of the HK pro-democracy demonstrations (link HERE) - that is, until last week. Among the mourning were some cheers, notably from the CCP ...
‘Good news!’
Who’s the most excited by RFA Cantonese’s closure? China. (Surprise, surprise.)
“Good news!” crowed pro-China social-media influencer Li Jingjing to her 116,000-plus followers on X. “Radio Free Asia Cantonese service got shut down, right before the 28th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland! This media was spreading lies, hatred and stoking separatism in China, serviced as a propaganda tool with United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM)’s funding.” China’s ambassador to Nepal chimed in with his message of approval (pictured).
China’s state-sponsored Global Times reported that “the notorious anti-China media Radio Free Asia” was shuttering. The story included a quote from Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning given in March, when RFA was first told by the U.S. government that its grant agreement was suspended: “We are not going to comment on U.S. adjustment of its domestic policies. … On those U.S. media you mentioned, their blemished track record on China coverage is hardly a secret.” No love from the CCP.
‘Thank you for always telling the truth’
Opinions take a sharp turn with the people who have relied on our Cantonese reports. “Many Hong Kong media outlets have been forced to close by the CCP & repressive HK gov’t, but ironically it’s the US gov’t that’s ended” RFA Cantonese, the Hong Kong Democracy Council said on X.
“Thank you RFA for letting Hong Kong people know the truth about news from all over the world, especially the truth about how the CCP oppresses Hong Kong people,” Pepper Chan, a commenter on RFA Cantonese’s Facebook page, said in a comment. “I believe you will come back again; we will wait.”
Reading RFA Cantonese on Instagram had “become a habit,” said one commenter. “Thank you for always telling the truth,” said another. Many repeated this question: “What other Cantonese news media can I watch?”And media freedom watchdog RSF added: “[Reporters Without Borders] is outraged about the closure of Radio Free Asia (RFA) Cantonese,” the org posted on Bluesky. “7.5 million Hongkongers already live in a growing news desert. Trump claims to “stand with Hong Kong,” but his decision to gut funding for USAGM media like RFA hampers access to reliable news in the territory & worldwide.”
Documenting freedom’s decline in Hong Kong
Since its start in 1998, the year after Hong Kong’s handover to China, RFA Cantonese has been a steady source of news in Hong Kong, Macao, and the mainland. The notion of a promised “one country, two systems,” approach to governance faded with China’s increased influence in Hong Kong — change that accelerated with the national security law in 2020 that allowed Beijing to drive out much of the territory’s independent media.
With the passage of Article 23 and after being labeled as a “foreign force,” RFA Cantonese was forced to close its Hong Kong bureau in 2024, but its influence continued to grow, especially on social media. When it closed in June, it had become one of Hong Kong’s last surviving independent news outlets.Some highlights ...
- In a January 2024 field research study of young Hong Kong escapees in Taiwan, participants regarded RFA as crucial for bridging information gaps and an essential resource for the increasingly restricted information landscape.
- RFA Cantonese delivered extensive coverage of landmark Hong Kong court cases in Nov. 2024: the trials of 47 pro-democracy activists and media mogul Jimmy Lai. Reports drew more than 130K views, and earned praise from family members who confirmed RFA’s position as a highly trusted source of news for HK audiences.
- RFA documented Hong Kong’s national security crackdown and the global exile movement, including a recent feature profiling three U.S.-based Hong Kong activists, which drew nearly 200K YouTube views within a week.