Research Compromise
Growing means of encroachment in the free dissemination of information, be it through state-driven or public means, have led to increasing self-censorship in various forms of communications including research.
For example, Macquarie, UBS and BNP Paribas reportedly released 2020 outlooks containing no mention of the protests which have dominated headlines in the city. Banks reportedly feared backlash and denied access to lucrative deals in China, citing the swine fever outbreak comments made by a star economist from UBS.
The issue appears to be even stricter at Chinese lenders with one case of a chief economist resigning after a 14-year career with Bank of Communications due to censorship-related issues. In one case, he was condemned by senior management at the bank for saying in a local radio interview that the 2003 SARS outbreak had a greater economic impact to Hong Kong than the current protests.
