Wall Street Journal moves Asia headquarters from Hong Kong to Singapore; layoffs imminent

WSJ shifts Asia HQ from Hong Kong to Singapore amid concerns over national security law impact

The Wall Street Journal(WSJ) will shift its Asia headquarters from Hong Kong to Singapore, it said on May 2 in a letter sent to staff and seen by AFP.

The U.S. newspaper said its decision comes after other foreign firms have reconsidered their operations in Chinese financial hub Hong Kong.

WSJ editor-in-chief Emma Tucker said in a letter to staff that the shift would also involve an unspecified number of layoffs.

On the staff changes, she added: "Consequently, some of our colleagues, mostly in Hong Kong, will be leaving us. It is difficult to say goodbye, and I want to thank them for the contributions they have made to the Journal."

The union for WSJ employees, IAPE, said in a statement that it was "sorry to learn that eight reporters from the Hong Kong and Singapore offices have been laid off from the company."

Elsewhere in the region, the WSJ also has bureaus in Tokyo, New Delhi, Beijing, Seoul, Taiwan and Sydney.

Ms. Tucker said a new business, finance and economics group would be created with a mandate to "break news and write ambitious and distinctive features, analysis and enterprise."