The Bridge Too Far reference might be especially appropriate. Could you actually attend CIDEX while NOT violating the PRC's latest national security law?
The last Airshow China 2016 was my last. I tried to go to the 2018, but could not get funding from my sponsor (Shephard Media). I knew it'd be my last defense expo. You could smell trouble in China via other journalists in China complaining about increased surveillance and restrictions. Then Covid...boom...but today, almost all of my defense journalist colleagues (Jane's, AvWk, DefNews, etc) have all said they are terrified of even attempting to go to a defense expo, even with an approved J visa and letter of invitation. Many fear that they will simply be arrested at the end of the show and accused of trumped up charges. Many of them are freelance and can't rely on their corporate sponsors to help them beyond a press release asking for our release. Freelancers and stringers are often sent to the dark corners of the planet because they are expendable with no legal recourse via their so-called sponsors. If a staff correspondent was arrested, then the lawyers at the corporate sponsor level start sending bills to the CEO...something the legacy corporate press want to avoid. Look closely at the arrest of my former India colleague Vivek Raghuvanshi for espionage. I know Vivek and I saw Defense News' response (just a letter asking for his release), but I doubt Vivek will get more than just a letter of protest. He is not a staff correspondent, despite his 20 years with DN. Having confidential or even classified documents in my possession for example is normal for a defense journalist, so the local counter-intelligence arm of the MJIB could easily just raid my office and find something....even if I am not aware it's classified...lol. But in China, getting busted would mean having to sign a letter of admission before I was considered for release. Basically, I would have to admit to charges that were not clearly defined. But since many of us are married with family, and not young anymore, signing certainly is tempting. I do not know of any under 30 defense correspondents worth their salt nor are any good ones coming up the ladder to cover international intrigue. They stay safely behind their Washington desks hiding behind their computers stacking books on their bookshelves like brick sealing them the outside world entirely.
The Bridge Too Far reference might be especially appropriate. Could you actually attend CIDEX while NOT violating the PRC's latest national security law?
The last Airshow China 2016 was my last. I tried to go to the 2018, but could not get funding from my sponsor (Shephard Media). I knew it'd be my last defense expo. You could smell trouble in China via other journalists in China complaining about increased surveillance and restrictions. Then Covid...boom...but today, almost all of my defense journalist colleagues (Jane's, AvWk, DefNews, etc) have all said they are terrified of even attempting to go to a defense expo, even with an approved J visa and letter of invitation. Many fear that they will simply be arrested at the end of the show and accused of trumped up charges. Many of them are freelance and can't rely on their corporate sponsors to help them beyond a press release asking for our release. Freelancers and stringers are often sent to the dark corners of the planet because they are expendable with no legal recourse via their so-called sponsors. If a staff correspondent was arrested, then the lawyers at the corporate sponsor level start sending bills to the CEO...something the legacy corporate press want to avoid. Look closely at the arrest of my former India colleague Vivek Raghuvanshi for espionage. I know Vivek and I saw Defense News' response (just a letter asking for his release), but I doubt Vivek will get more than just a letter of protest. He is not a staff correspondent, despite his 20 years with DN. Having confidential or even classified documents in my possession for example is normal for a defense journalist, so the local counter-intelligence arm of the MJIB could easily just raid my office and find something....even if I am not aware it's classified...lol. But in China, getting busted would mean having to sign a letter of admission before I was considered for release. Basically, I would have to admit to charges that were not clearly defined. But since many of us are married with family, and not young anymore, signing certainly is tempting. I do not know of any under 30 defense correspondents worth their salt nor are any good ones coming up the ladder to cover international intrigue. They stay safely behind their Washington desks hiding behind their computers stacking books on their bookshelves like brick sealing them the outside world entirely.