Chinese language news outlets in Australia ‘self-censor’ to avoid repercussions: report

The Lowy Institute said staff in mainland China feared retribution from Beijing over ‘negative’ stories when translating Australian news reports

Three-quarters of the 1.2 million Chinese-Australians read Chinese news online. The report recommended increased monitoring by the media regulator

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The Chinese embassy in Canberra, Australia. The study of 500 news stories, and interviews with media executives, found self-censorship by the outlets did not mean they were politically aligned with Beijing. Photo: Getty

Published: 5:00am, 30 Sep 2021Updated: 10:27pm, 30 Sep 2021

Chinese language community news groups in Australia are publishing news censored by translators they use in China to avoid potential repercussions in Beijing, an Australian think tank said.

A report by the Lowy Institute found that staff working in mainland China exercised self-censorship when translating news stories taken from mainstream Australian media into Chinese for community newspapers because they feared retribution by Beijing over any content perceived as negative.

Publishers can also risk a financial impact if content is blocked on Chinese social media platforms, said the report, which was funded by the Australian government.

The author of the report, academic Fan Yang, said Chinese media outlets in Australia have come under scrutiny for perceived links to the Chinese Communist Party, and Canberra is worried about growing Chinese government influence in Australia.

The study of 500 news stories, and interviews with media executives, found self-censorship by the outlets did not mean they were politically aligned with Beijing.

“Self-censorship is involved in the news translation process as Chinese media professionals are concerned about the potential penalties that Beijing might impose on their employees, their families, and the revenue of their media organisation,” the report said.