The 2029 World Conference of Science Journalists (WCSJ) will take place in Beijing, following a decision by the board of the World Federation of Science Journalists (WFSJ) in December 2025. WFSJ, which represents science journalist associations around the world, chose the bid from a Chinese delegation over one from Australia. Concerns about funding for the meeting and accessibility for attendees from low-income countries contributed to the decision, federation leaders say.

Proponents of holding the meeting in China hope it will assist science journalists there and help connect international reporters to the country’s scientists. But others worry discussion of certain topics will be suppressed, and that some journalists will not be able to safely travel to a country that regularly detains members of the press. “It’s insane that you would pick the world’s largest prison for journalists to hold a science journalism conference,” says Jackson Ryan, president of the Science Journalists Association of Australia, who presented that country’s bid.

Source https://www.science.org/content/article/censorship-and-safety-concerns-cloud-china-s-plans-host-science-journalism-conference

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