Excellence in International Reporting
Beimeng Fu; Other contributors: Zhaoyin Feng, “Laos durian dreams grow as plantations rise to feed China,” Nikkei Asia
ABOUT THE WORK: The reporters spent more than a year working on breaking this story of rainforest devastation in Laos, following a tip from industry source in China. The investigation supported by Pulitzer Center and Nikkei Asia brought to light a story that had never been publicly told before. The reporter team also made sure to publish the story in award-winning independent Chinese-language outlet, the Singapore-based Initium News, to reach an audience that have direct involvement with the story. Both Nikkei Asia and Initium News carry a separate podcast episode about the story, with the reporters appearing on the Initium News podcast too.
This reporting not only reached a global audience but also triggered further investigations and discussions. It was later followed up by Mekong Eye, a respected regional watchdog, which conducted its own investigation into the issue. Mekong Eye’s weekly digest also featured it, reinforcing its relevance in ongoing environmental and economic reporting on the Mekong region. The reporting also caught the attention of major international and regional media: VNExpress in Vietnam republished key insights, The Nation Thailand flagged it on social media, and the Laotian Times ran a follow-up with a more optimistic take, reflecting how countries in the region might react to the change in the billion-dollar durian industry, and the environmental, humanitarian implications of the expansion of plantations.
Beimeng Fu is an independent multimedia journalist and documentary filmmaker from China. Her work focuses on China and the Chinese diaspora’s interactions with Southeast Asia and Latin America, particularly through the lenses of culture, history, migration, and justice. She is continuing the research of China’s growing influence in Southeast Asia through the durian trade, especially the ambitions and struggles of the individuals caught within these shifts. Her writing and documentaries have been published by a range of international outlets, including The Washington Post, BuzzFeed News, ABC News, Sixth Tone, and Initium Media. Beimeng has reported from China, the United States, Laos, Vietnam, Kenya, Ethiopia, Chile, and Mexico.
Honorable Mention: Ailsa Chang, Jonaki Mehta, Patrick Jarenwattananon, Emily Feng, and Hugo Peng, “How Taiwanese identity has evolved on the island in recent generations,” NPR
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