Relationship game

In addition to Li, there are 11 known cases of journalists who were beaten or harassed this year, media reports said.

A group of unidentified people punched Chen Xiaoying, a reporter at the Beijing-based China Times, after she wrote a story about alleged corruption at Shenzhen State Enterprise Company in July.

However, one of the most serious cases occurred in 2007. Lan Chengzhang, a reporter at Beijing-based China Trade News, visited an illegal mine in Huiyuan, Shanxi Province, to ask about some licensing issues when an unidentified man beat him to death.

Those in powerful positions do not always rely on violence to get back at journalists. Some throw their weight around with media organizations or management while others use legal means to force reporters to abandon their work. "They will tell you about their relationship with government officials," said Li.

Qiu Ziming, a reporter at Beijing-based Economic Observer, became a wanted police subject in Zhejiang Province in July after he reported about insider trading at a listed company.

After widespread publicity about the story, local police officials admitted they had no reason to hunt the reporter.

The Gansu Economic News fired Wang Keqin in 2001 after his stories hurt the careers of some officials. Wang is now a senior reporter at Beijing-based China Economic Times.

Liu Wanyong, an investigative reporter at China Youth Daily, told the Global Times that pressure from officials and newspaper bosses is frustrating.