Rebecca Choong Wilkins, Bloomberg News’ Asia government and economy correspondent based in Hong Kong, announced on Saturday that she will be leaving the city after her working visa renewal was denied by authorities. Wilkins, who has reported from Hong Kong for six years and is currently eight months pregnant, shared her regret at departing from the community she considers home.

She stated on social media, "After six years of reporting in Hong Kong, and at eight months pregnant, I’m very sad to be leaving my colleagues, friends and the place I’ve called home. I’ll be out of office for a while on maternity leave. Wherever I land, catch you on the other side."

A Bloomberg News spokesperson expressed full support for Wilkins, noting, "We cannot comment on the specifics of her situation but we fully support Rebecca and we will continue to work through the appropriate avenues to try to resolve the matter."

The Hong Kong Immigration Department declined to comment on the individual case, emphasizing that it handles all immigration matters following existing laws and policies.

The Foreign Correspondents’ Club Hong Kong expressed deep concern regarding the visa denial, criticizing the absence of any official explanation. The organization warned that such incidents highlight ongoing apprehensions about diminishing press freedom in the city.

Similar cases have emerged recently, including the refusal of visa renewal for Bloomberg reporter Haze Fan, a Chinese national, last year, as well as the rejection of a visa extension for Associated Press photojournalist Louise Delmotte in 2024, both without provided reasons.

The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Hong Kong officials to clarify the grounds for visa denials amid an increasing number of such occurrences and urged the establishment of a transparent decision-making framework. They stated, "We call on the Hong Kong authorities to explain any denial of work visas and entry into Hong Kong amid a growing number of such incidents, and establish a transparent mechanism in its decision-making processes."