Wang, a reporter for the Beijing-based business magazine Caijing, was arrested on August 25 on suspicion of “colluding with others and fabricating and spreading false information about securities and futures trading.” The arrest was made after he wrote an article in Caijing on July 20 that said the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) was examining ways for securities companies to withdraw funds from the stock market, according to a Caijing statement. The commission denied the allegations and called Wang’s report “irresponsible,” according to news reports. The state-run agency Xinhua reported that the article caused “unusual fluctuations” of the stock market.
The Chinese state broadcaster later aired footage of Wang appearing to say that he regretted writing the story and pleading for leniency with the judicial authorities. Televised confessions are among tactics deployed by Chinese authorities for dealing with journalists who cover sensitive stories.
In September, Radio France Internationale reported that Chinese authorities had placed Wang under “residential surveillance at a designated place,” a form of pre-trial custody. It is unclear where Wang was being held as of late 2015, or whether he had been formally charged.