A group for defense of labor rights based in Hong Kong founded by the eminent activist of Chinese labor, Han Dongfang, announced that it closed its doors after three decades of monitoring workers in China, citing financial difficulties and debt problems.
The closure of the Labor China Bulletin, announced on Thursday, came while the authorities launched a new national security survey of six anonymous people and an organization suspected of “collusion with a foreign country”.
Shortly after the launch of the managers, the Chinese labor bulletin – which receives funds from various foundations based outside China – announced its closure, affirming: “The company is no longer able to maintain operations and has decided to dissolve and initiate the relevant procedures.”
Radio Free Asia could not immediately reach Han, a long -standing contributor to the Mandarin of RFA service, producing radio segments focused on workers' problems in China.
But Han, who founded China Labor Bulletin in 1994, told Taiwan's central news agency that the closure was his decision and that he would remain in Hong Kong.
The bulletin pleaded for the rights of Chinese workers and provided them with legal support. He served as a source of information for activists, journalists and academics on workers' issues and disorders in China.
In its declaration, the bulletin said: “To date, our website will stop updating content and other social media platforms have also been deleted,” the statement said.
RFA noted that the China Labor Bulletin website seemed to have been closed on Friday, displaying a host error message, and its social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram were disabled.
The development came while the Chinese national security office in Hong Kong ordered the Hong Kong authorities to “interview” and investigate six people and an organization suspected of “collusion with a foreign country or external forces to endanger national security” between November 2020 and June 2024.
The authorities performed searches approved on Thursday, approved by the court of the Maisons des Six and an office, located in the district of Kwai Chung in Hong Kong, of the organization under investigation, entering documents and banking equipment. The six people had to abandon their travel documents.
The authorities have not provided the names of the six people or the organization under investigation.
Development underlines the systematic dismantling of Beijing of civil society in the past vibrant of Hong Kong, while the authorities continue to use major national security provisions to investigate suspected foreign collaboration and forced organizations established for a long time to close operations.
Since the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Act in 2020, at least 58 civil society organizations have been forced to dissolve.
Written by Tenzin Pema. Edited by Mat Pennington.