Chinese Embassy Threatened VOA Over Planned Interview with Billionaire Dissident Guo Wengui

Chinese Embassy Threatened VOA Over Planned Interview with Billionaire Dissident Guo Wengui The passage identifies a concrete incident where Chinese diplomatic officials warned Voice of America of repercussions for airing an interview with Guo Wengui, a high‑profile Chinese billionaire dissident. It names Sasha Gong, the VOA service head, and details the timeline (April 19, 2017). This offers a clear lead for investigating Chinese government pressure on U.S. media, potential retaliation mechanisms, and any related communications between Chinese officials and U.S. agencies. While not a brand‑new scandal, the specific threat and the defiance by VOA provide actionable angles for follow‑up. Key insights: Chinese embassy officials directly threatened VOA before the Guo Wengui interview.; Sasha Gong, head of VOA’s service, proceeded with the interview despite warnings.; Interview was scheduled for live broadcast on April 19, 2017.