Visa Block on Bloomberg Reporter Highlights Fading Freedom in Hong Kong

23 August 2025

Bloomberg is actively pursuing a resolution for its correspondent in Hong Kong, Rebecca Choong Wilkins, after authorities declined to renew her visa without offering any explanation, prompting concern from press advocates and international news organizations. Wilkins, who has spent the past six years reporting on Asia’s government and economy for Bloomberg, confirmed the Foreign Correspondents’ Club's account of the rejection. Bloomberg reiterated its support for her and said it will work through proper channels to address the situation.

Hong Kong’s Immigration Department maintained its usual posture, stating it does not comment on individual cases and emphasizing that visa applicants must meet eligibility criteria. Yet this explanation did little to quell the growing unease among media watchdogs who view the move as part of a troubling trend. Since the imposition of the National Security Law in 2020, at least nine journalists have reported visa issues. Consequently, Hong Kong’s standing in the global press freedom index has fallen to 140th out of 180 territories, according to Reporters Without Borders.

The Foreign Correspondents’ Club issued a statement declaring that the lack of any rationale for Wilkins’s visa denial reinforces widespread fears over the erosion of press freedoms in Hong Kong a principle historically safeguarded under the region’s Basic Law and Bill of Rights. The Hong Kong Journalists Association echoed these concerns, revealing that the true number of visa denials affecting foreign media may exceed those publicly reported.

This incident underscored an unsettling reality: press professionals even those focusing on business and economy coverage are increasingly finding themselves ensnared by opaque administrative decisions. Rebecca Choong Wilkins is part of a growing list of journalists including freelancers and representatives from major outlets whose ability to report in Hong Kong has been jeopardized. Many of these visa rejections have occurred without any reasoning provided, reinforcing the notion that such denials may be rooted more in political considerations than procedural shortcomings.

Bloomberg’s public approach reflects both care for its correspondent and a firm commitment to due process. Its statement carefully reserves commentary in individual cases while signaling that it will persistently seek answers and solutions on her behalf. That prudent stance offers one model of institutional support in a climate where media rights are increasingly fragile.

Meanwhile, press freedom in Hong Kong continues to deteriorate. While local authorities maintain that they are simply enforcing immigration rules and evaluating applications on a case-by-case basis, advocacy groups argue that the proliferation of unexplained visa refusals points to systematic suppression. Journalists and rights defenders say that the policy has chilling effects as uncertainty grows, fewer correspondents may choose to work in the city, and media coverage risks becoming narrower and more aligned with state narratives.

For Hong Kong’s long-standing reputation as a hub of global finance and free expression, this moment marks a poignant turning point. Losing access to seasoned reporters like Wilkins erodes the deeper understanding that only immersed, locally informed journalism can provide. As Bloomberg continues to press the case and advocacy groups escalate calls for transparency, this episode becomes emblematic of broader tensions across one of Asia’s most scrutinized cities.