(Credit: NYTimes, screenshot, highlight added)

Chinese columnist Chang Ping was fired by publishing group Southern Daily Group, the New York Times reported.  Chang “challenged government censors by writing about corruption and political reform,” and claims his firing was a result of “pressure” from “government propaganda authorities.”

Countering, executive editor Zhuang Shenzhi explained that “the publisher had decided not to extend Mr. Chang’s contract” because “the paper thought some of his work was inappropriate.”