BuzzFeed’s Beijing Boss Exits the Party Early
Picture this: a six‑year stint in Beijing, a big scoop on the Xinjiang crackdown, and then—poof—no visa to stay. That’s exactly what Megha Rajagopalan, BuzzFeed News’ former Beijing bureau chief, experienced after the Chinese foreign ministry pulled the plug on her visa renewal.
What Went Down
- May sentence: The ministry “declined to issue me a new journalist visa,” Megha tweeted—no explanation, just a dismissal.
- February exit: Pockets full of stories, she bid farewell to China, marking the end of a six‑year chapter that included exposing the state’s treatment of Uighurs.
- FCCC’s take: The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China (FCCC) labeled the freeze as a “process thing” and called it regrettable and unacceptable given China’s “welcoming” stance on foreign media.
- Official line: The ministry replied in a basic note, saying they handle visas “in accordance with laws and regulations.”
Past Precedents
Megha isn’t the first to bump the visa system. A decade ago, Al‑Jazeera’s Melissa Chan left after visa denial, and in 2016, French journalist Ursula Gauthier had to pack up after criticizing Xinjiang policy.
Beyond Beijing
Despite the setback, Megha keeps the lights on. She announced on Twitter that she’ll stay knee‑deep in human‑rights reporting—now from her BuzzFeed post on technology and rights across the Middle East.
“It is bittersweet to leave Beijing after spending six wonderful and eye-opening years as a journalist there,” Megha wrote. “I look forward to covering Xinjiang from a new angle.
Why This Matters
- Media freedom in China is still a tight‑rope walk, especially when shining a light on sensitive regions.
- Experts say visa cancellations can be a subtle way to silence voices—without an outright ban.
- For journalists worldwide, it’s a reminder that status can be as fleeting as a passport stamp.
In the end, Megha’s story is a reminder that even the brightest stars sometimes get eclipsed—in this case by paperwork. But as she says, the fight for truth is just getting started—no matter how many visas the bureaucracy throws her way.
