China’s national security office in Hong Kong has issued an unusually direct warning to foreign media, accusing several outlets of spreading “false information” and “smearing” the government’s response to the city’s deadliest fire in nearly eight decades. The statement, released Saturday (Dec 6), comes on the eve of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council election and reflects the heightened political sensitivity surrounding the disaster.
The Office for Safeguarding National Security (OSNS) said it had summoned a number of foreign media organisations—though it did not specify which ones—to express strong dissatisfaction over their reporting on the Wang Fuk Court tragedy, a massive fire that consumed parts of a residential high-rise and killed at least 159 people. Hundreds more remain injured or missing, making it one of the most devastating urban fires in the city’s modern history.
Reuters said it was not contacted and did not attend the meeting. In a sharply worded statement, the OSNS accused certain foreign outlets of “ignoring facts, spreading false information, distorting and smearing the government’s disaster relief and aftermath work, attacking and interfering with the Legislative Council election, provoking social division and opposition.” The office asserted that its actions were conducted under the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020, which grants broad authority to regulate and “strengthen the management” of foreign institutions, including international news organisations.
Saturday’s gathering appears to be the first time the national security office has summoned foreign media collectively to reprimand coverage of a specific event. The office, staffed by senior officials from China’s Ministry of State Security, has increasingly taken a more assertive posture as Beijing continues to reshape Hong Kong’s political and civic landscape.
The government is under intense pressure as public frustration mounts over the causes of the deadly blaze. Early investigations have pointed to poor oversight and substandard materials used during a recent renovation of the building—factors that likely contributed to the rapid spread of the fire. These revelations have sparked widespread anger, with residents demanding greater accountability from both public officials and private contractors.
Authorities have moved swiftly to contain dissent. Several activists who had criticised the government’s handling of the disaster or called for an independent inquiry were detained in recent days, drawing renewed concerns over the shrinking space for public expression in the city.
Beijing has also cautioned the public against using the tragedy to “disrupt Hong Kong,” an implicit reference to the 2019 pro-democracy protests, during which millions marched for months demanding greater political freedoms. In the years since, authorities have cracked down on dissent with sweeping arrests, the closure of independent media outlets, and the dismantling of civil society organisations.
These developments have contributed to Hong Kong’s steep decline in global press freedom rankings. The city now sits at 140th out of 180 territories in the World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders—far below its past position as a regional hub for independent journalism.
The latest dispute over media coverage unfolds as the city awaits the outcome of the national security trial of Jimmy Lai, the 77-year-old media tycoon and outspoken critic of Beijing. Lai, founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper, faces charges that could lead to life imprisonment.
The case has drawn international criticism, including from political leaders in the United States. According to Reuters, US President Donald Trump raised Lai’s situation directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting last month, urging his release.
As Hong Kong prepares for its legislative election, the intensifying scrutiny of the media and the swift suppression of dissent underscore how deeply the national security framework now shapes the city’s political and social environment. The fire at Wang Fuk Court, while a tragic disaster, has become entangled in broader tensions over governance, transparency, and the limits of public expression—issues that continue to redefine Hong Kong’s identity and its future under Beijing’s rule.
