David Barboza

And it was almost comical to me that after we published the second article, the Times was like, OK, you can go back to Shanghai. We have the articles. You can go back. Great work. And I went back and I didn't realize it, but they had arranged for a New York Times reporter, Andy Jacobs, to cover my arrival back in China and possibly my arrest.

And it was almost comical to me that after we published the second article, the Times was like, OK, you can go back to Shanghai. We have the articles. You can go back. Great work. And I went back and I didn't realize it, but they had arranged for a New York Times reporter, Andy Jacobs, to cover my arrival back in China and possibly my arrest.

And so as I touched down in Shanghai from Tokyo, the Times had the expectation I very well could be arrested at the airport. I went through customs. No one said anything. My driver showed up. I was going back home and I got a call from Andy Jacobs saying, did you arrive? And I said, I arrived. He said, well, where are you? I said, I'm at Hong Chao Airport. And he said, oh, I'm at Pudong Airport.

And so as I touched down in Shanghai from Tokyo, the Times had the expectation I very well could be arrested at the airport. I went through customs. No one said anything. My driver showed up. I was going back home and I got a call from Andy Jacobs saying, did you arrive? And I said, I arrived. He said, well, where are you? I said, I'm at Hong Chao Airport. And he said, oh, I'm at Pudong Airport.

He was at the wrong airport. So I thought, great, Andy. So if I was arrested, you were supposed to cover my arrest, but there's no one there at the airport when I was actually cut off. But I went back to China. Strangely, I was able to renew my visa. I think the Chinese government basically did not want to make a rash, quick decision, and they let me renew.

He was at the wrong airport. So I thought, great, Andy. So if I was arrested, you were supposed to cover my arrest, but there's no one there at the airport when I was actually cut off. But I went back to China. Strangely, I was able to renew my visa. I think the Chinese government basically did not want to make a rash, quick decision, and they let me renew.

And then it became awkward to kick me out. New York Times reporters were not allowed to enter China after the story, but those in China were not kicked out. And for three more years, I continued to report. I did get lots of death threats. And at the end, you know, by 2015, Lynn and I, my wife, knew it is too dangerous.

And then it became awkward to kick me out. New York Times reporters were not allowed to enter China after the story, but those in China were not kicked out. And for three more years, I continued to report. I did get lots of death threats. And at the end, you know, by 2015, Lynn and I, my wife, knew it is too dangerous.

They're basically having people call us saying they're hitmen and they're going to murder us and our children. So then it was clear, like, we have to leave.

They're basically having people call us saying they're hitmen and they're going to murder us and our children. So then it was clear, like, we have to leave.