BBC correspondent leaves China with family amid legal threats: Report

 A correspondent for the BBC has left Beijing after facing intense pressure and being threatened over British public broadcaster's coverage of issues like Xinjiang and coronavirus

A correspondent for the British Broadcasting Agency (BBC) has left Beijing after facing intense pressure and being threatened over the British public broadcaster's coverage of issues like Xinjiang and COVID-19.

John Sudworth, who was based in China for nine years, had left Beijing along with his wife, Yvonne Murray, a reporter for the Irish public broadcaster RTE, and their three young children.

Both Sudworth and Murray have said they will continue to cover China from Taipei.

According to The New York Times, the correspondent, Sudworth said on Wednesday that he made the decision after being subjected to intensifying propaganda campaign targeting him and the BBC.

He also cited legal threats as well as the increasing difficulty of doing independent reporting in China without obstruction or harassment.

Taiwan has confirmed Sudworth's presence in Taiwan.

"Sudworth is now in Taiwan and is currently in quarantine in accordance with COVID-19 prevention measures," said Taiwan Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou during a regular press briefing.

The departures of Sudworth and Murray are part of a larger recent exodus of foreign journalists from China. Last year, the Chinese government expelled around 15 correspondents for American news organizations, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post.