Jessie Lau is a writer, freelance journalist, editor & artist
Hi there! I’m a writer and journalist from Hong Kong, now based in London. My work has appeared in The Guardian, CNN, The Economist, WIRED and many others. A generalist with expertise on China and Asia, I have over a decade of media experience. Now, I gravitate towards stories exploring the intersections of human rights, politics and culture. I fronted the BBC documentary “China’s Silenced Feminist” and executive-produced the Channel 4 News film “China’s Feminist Fightback." Formerly based in Beijing and California, I’m editor-in-chief and board member at NüVoices, a non-profit amplifying gender minorities working on China subjects. Commissions and cold calls are welcome.
Selected stories
The End Game of China’s Zero-Covid Policy Nightmare
As most of the world decides to live with the virus, China is doubling down on a strategy to crush it. But at what cost?
Why tennis star Peng Shuai’s #MeToo allegation is such a threat to China’s leaders
Her accusation exposes systemic sexism and threatens the Communist Party’s legitimacy, Chinese feminists say
How the Chinese Communist Party is policing the past to secure its future
What a “historical nihilism hotline” and a new party resolution tell us about Xi Jinping’s vision for China
Beijing is having trouble selling its citizens on a partnership with the Taliban
China’s propaganda machinery has been working in overdrive to convince Chinese people that partnering with the Taliban isn’t as problematic as it seems
Banning WeChat will destroy a lone bridge between the US and China
WeChat is an instrument of censorship and surveillance. But, for Chinese Americans, it was also a way to connect
Who is the real Mulan?
The current film has sparked a fierce fight over Mulan’s soul: what she should represent, both as a symbol for women and for Chinese-ness
How Beijing’s new security law is already changing lives
For many Hongkongers, China’s tightening grip is forcing them to ask the question: should I stay or go?
Why the Taiwanese are thinking more about their identity
Renewed resistance to China and successful handling of the coronavirus pandemic has led Taiwan to re-examine ideas about its identity – and its future
The Crisis in Wuhan ‘Forced Me to Become Political’
As the city prepares to reopen after two months of lockdown, a resident shares why she’ll never see Chinese society the same way again
China’s slow response to coronavirus has shown the weakness of its centralised model
In a system where power is concentrated at the top, local officials are not incentivised to take decisive action
To win minorities’ support, China offers places at boarding school
It is too much of a shock for some
China’s war on Christmas hasn’t deterred kids from sending thousands of letters to Santa
Santa’s rising popularity is a stark contrast to China’s ongoing war on Christmas