The Economist.
Reporting from China isn't easy,
and looking or sounding Chinese or having Chinese heritage can create an additional layer of challenge.
Emily Feng was born in the U.S. to Chinese parents who had immigrated there from Zhejiang province.
When she arrived in China a decade ago as a young journalist,
the country she encountered was rapidly transforming and full of excitement, diversity, and contradictions.
By the time our paths crossed and we became friends, both working in journalism in Beijing,
she had already become a well-recognised voice in the country,
covering breaking news, social changes, and the trials and tribulations of ordinary Chinese people.
But as her portfolio of work grew, so did the criticism.
For Chinese nationalists and those close to power, her work was seen as a betrayal.
After all, How could someone inherently Chinese write as she did?
Emily was labelled as being aligned with foreign hostile forces,
and reporting on the ground became increasingly difficult.
In 2022, when COVID measures eased in China, she left for what she thought was a holiday.
But closer to her return date, it became clear that she wasn't going to be let back in.
That's when she began writing her book, Let Only Red Flowers Bloom.
In her mind, it was a way to stay connected to the place she once called home
while casting a light on a subject that mattered deeply to her as well as the central leadership, Chinese identity.
I'm Jiehao Chen, The Economist's China researcher and Drum Tower producer,