Beijing hits back after US President Joe Biden blames its ‘intensifying repression’ for closure of Apple Daily
- US leader calls loss of tabloid-style newspaper ‘a sad day for media freedom in Hong Kong’
- Chinese foreign ministry spokesman calls Biden’s remarks ‘completely groundless’ and says there are ulterior motives behind any criticism
On Thursday, the city’s residents flocked to buy copies of the tabloid-style publication’s final edition, a week after police arrested five of its top executives under the national security law.
Two of the group, editor-in-chief Ryan Law Wai-kwong and publisher Cheung Kim-hung, were later charged with conspiring to collude with foreign forces and remanded in custody. The newspaper’s lead opinion writer was also arrested on Wednesday, and released the day after.
Authorities froze accounts and assets worth HK$18 million (US$2.32 million), which left the management of parent company Next Digital struggling to continue operations.
The newspaper, in its last edition on Thursday, reported that founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying “fully understood” the decision to shut down operations as he had left the company’s fate in the hands of management.
Biden called the loss of Apple Daily “a sad day for media freedom in Hong Kong and around the world”.
