In a move that has been hailed by China and Cambodia, US President Donald Trump has signed an order freezing the funding of several US-funded media outlets, including Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, and Radio Free Europe.
China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, welcomed the US-funded media move, stating that the outlets have a “notorious track record” of reporting on China. The state-backed nationalist tabloid, Global Times, went further, describing Voice of America as a “lie factory”.
Cambodia’s former leader, Hun Sen, also praised Trump’s decision, saying that it was a courageous move to combat fake news. Hun Sen, who has been the subject of critical reporting by VOA and Radio Free Asia, has a history of suppressing independent media in Cambodia.
The outlets affected by the funding freeze have a long history of providing independent news and information to countries with restricted media environments. Radio Free Asia, for example, was created to provide reporting to China, North Korea, and other countries in the region with heavily restricted press.
The funding freeze is expected to have a significant impact on the ability of these outlets to provide independent news and information to their audiences. It is also seen as a move by the Trump administration to crack down on what it sees as biased reporting.
The move has been met with criticism from other countries, including the UK and Canada, which have expressed concerns about the impact on press freedom.
The decision by Trump to freeze funding for US-funded media outlets has been welcomed by China and Cambodia, but has been met with criticism from other countries. The move is seen as a crackdown on independent reporting and has raised concerns about the impact on press freedom.