The decision by the United Front Work Department of the Chinese Communist Party, first reported by America, the Jesuit magazine, is the latest sign of tension in the already strained relations between China and the Holy See.

Flying to Mongolia on Aug 31 for his four-day visit, Francis issued a telegram while in Chinese airspace to the country's president, Xi Jinping: "Assuring you of my prayers for the wellbeing of the nation, I invoke upon all of you the divine blessings of unity and peace," the pope wrote.

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Tong, was a writer, political commentator, and activist who became the director of the Office of Political Reform of the CCP Central Committee.

He was imprisoned for opposing China's deadly crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square in 1989. He spent much of his later life in jail or under house arrest and remained a staunch critic of the CCP's extremely repressive policies.

The Communist regime remained tightlipped on the death of Tong at the age of 90 on Nov 9. It strictly monitored the Internet to keep his passing low-key within the country.

Tong was laid to rest on Nov 14, and some of his friends and followers could send wreaths. About 100 people, including his close relatives, attended the ceremony at the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery in Beijing, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported on Nov 16.

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The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said it was deeply concerned at the "gutting" of independent media and press freedom in Hong Kong, and called on governments worldwide to put pressure on the authorities to uphold freedom of speech in the city.

"The IFJ and its affiliates have watched the dramatic collapse of press freedom and independent media in Hong Kong over the past two years since Beijing imposed its so-called national security law," the group said, citing the closure of at least 12 independent news organizations including the Apple Daily newspaper since the national security law took effect on July 1, 2020.

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