Climate of fear on Sina Weibo over attack on Kevin Lau Chun-to

The attack that left former Ming Pao chief editor Kevin Lau Chun-to with a punctured lung cast a shadow of fear over Sina Weibo's outspoken microbloggers, who expressed their concern about declining press freedom in Hong Kong.

Phoenix TV reporter Rose Luqiu Luwei, who has three million followers on the microblogging service, posted a statement by the Journalists Association saying the attack was "a serious provocation against the freedom of press and expression in Hong Kong".

Luqiu's post was shared more than 1,000 times and received 270 comments within just two hours. Several popular microbloggers, including senior Sina figure Chen Tong, film director Jia Zhangke and Beijing-based lawyer Hao Jinsong, also reposted it.

Taiwanese commentator Chang Tieh-chi, whose weibo account has more than 183,000 followers, wrote: "I shed tears for Hong Kong after hearing Lau's news … We are surrounded by a dark fog that we cannot control. But we have to shed light."

Former Phoenix TV political commentator Yang Jinlin expressed concern over escalating violence against journalists in the city. On his microblog, he listed five attacks against high-ranking staff in Hong Kong media groups since June last year.

"None of these cases has yet been solved," he wrote.