Ahead of an appeals court ruling on November 13, the Committee to Protect Journalists called on China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi to consider steps that would allow jailed journalist Dong Yuyu to be reunited with his family.

Dong, a long-time editor and columnist for the state-run newspaper Guangming Daily, was arrested in February 2022 while having lunch with a Japanese diplomat in the capital Beijing. He was convicted of espionage in November 2024 and sentenced to seven years in jail.

His appeal, filed in December 2024, has faced extended delays and his family have not been allowed to visit him since February 2022. 

CPJ’s letter also called on the Chinese foreign minister to respect the value of people-to-people diplomacy, including between journalists and foreign diplomats, and support a review of Dong’s case.

CPJ has been advocating for Dong’s freedom for years and later this month will honor him with a 2025 International Press Freedom Award.

Read the full statement here.