Yuen-Ying Chan

Yuen-Ying Chan (, also known as Ying Chan) is a Hong Kong–based journalist and journalism academic whose investigative work and subsequent successful defence of a libel suit helped establish Taiwanese media freedom.

Background and career overview A Hong Kong native, Chan moved to the United States in 1972 to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Michigan.

In October 2016, she joined Hong Kong public policy think tank Civic Exchange as a Distinguished Fellow.

Liu Tai-ying libel action In 1996, Chan collaborated with Shieh Chung-liang, the Taiwan bureau chief of the Hong Kong–based magazine Yazhou Zhoukan to investigate possible Taiwanese contributions to US President Bill Clinton's re-election campaign. The pair wrote an article that appeared on 25 October reporting that Liu Tai-ying, the business manager of Taiwan's Kuomintang political party, had offered $15 million to Mark Middleton, an ex-Clinton White House aide. The article included a denial from Liu that he had offered the money. Liu went on to file a criminal libel suit against the pair on 7 November. Chen Chao-ping, a political consultant named as the source of the story, was added as a co-defendant. Liu also filed a civil suit for $15 million in damages.

Other career activity In 2006, she strongly criticised the search engine Google for censoring its Chinese service, calling it "a missed opportunity to help nurture free journalism in the country".

Awards and honours Chan's honours include a 1995 Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University The award citation stated that "[Chan and Shieh's] courage sets an example in a region noted for both widespread self-censorship and government intervention in the functioning of the press." "Through journalism programs at both universities she is raising a new generation of questioning, curious and fair journalists right on the doorstep of mainland China," the award citation said in part.

Chan was a member of the Peabody Awards Board of Jurors from 2003 to 2009.