CNN International has opened a new bureau in Taipei where the network’s senior international correspondent Will Ripley will now be based.
Over the past year, Ripley has spent extended periods of time in Taiwan to report on the growing tensions between Taipei and Beijing. He has secured exclusive interviews with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, and reported extensively on the controversial visit to the island by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
“As the world order shifts, we are seeing the increasingly pivotal role of Taiwan,” said svp and managing editor APAC, CNN International, Ellana Lee. “Having a team permanently based there gives us vital insight into that piece of the Asia-Pacific jigsaw in a rapidly evolving global geopolitical picture.”
Ripley had been based in Hong Kong where he reported on some of the biggest stories from the region including Covid-19, the Hong Kong protests, the postponed Tokyo Olympics as well as the mystery surrounding Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai.
Prior to moving to Hong Kong, Ripley was CNN’s Tokyo-based correspondent and has worked at the network since 2014.
CNNI executive in charge Mike McCarthy, added: “Will is an outstanding journalist with in-depth knowledge and understanding of this complex and important region. With correspondents permanently based in mainland China, Hong Kong and now Taiwan, CNN is uniquely placed to offer strategic analysis and insight across our TV and digital platforms.”
Taipei marks CNN’s 8th bureau in Asia, with operations in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Islamabad, New Delhi, Seoul and Tokyo and Beijing.
Speaking of Beijing, CNN has also announced that Selina Wang is its new Beijing correspondent replacing David Culver who has relocated to the network’s Los Angeles bureau.
Wang covered the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics for CNN, an event that was held under the world’s strictest Covid measures.
“Selina has a deep understanding of China and has become a key voice on its economic, political and societal transformation,” said Lee. “With the Communist Party’s 20th national congress coming up, no one is better placed to give our television and digital audiences the on-the-ground reporting they need to understand this complex and rapidly evolving story.”
Wang was previously based at CNN’s Tokyo bureau where she led the network’s coverage of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, reporting on the challenges Japan faced hosting the Games during the pandemic.
An award-winning correspondent, Wang is also a host of CNN feature program Marketplace Asia and has hosted episodes of CNN feature shows Eco Solutions and Innovate Japan.
Prior to joining CNN, Wang was an anchor and correspondent for Bloomberg TV based in Beijing.
