China is the biggest jailer of journalists this year, detains 48

Hua, the foreign ministry spokeswoman, didn't address the condition of local reporters in her response to questions about the report

China surpassed Turkey to become the biggest jailer of journalists in the world this year, according to a press watchdog group, as Chinese President Xi Jinping steps up efforts to control the media.

China was holding at least 48 journalists for reasons related to their work, one more than in 2018, the Committee to Protect Journalists said in a report on Wednesday. The group’s database shows seven of those were arrested this year, including Australian writer Yang Hengjun, and that China has “tightened its iron grip on the press.”

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a news briefing Wednesday