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WIU Professor Yong Tang published a new book detailing freedom of information in China.
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Tang Publishes Book Detailing Freedom of Information in China

October 8, 2025

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MACOMB, IL - - Western Illinois University Professor Yong Tang has published a new book, "Freedom of Information Law in China: From Imperial Court Dairies to Open Government Information Regulations."

Tang examines China's first national freedom of information (FOI) law - Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Open Government Information. The book traces the evolution of government secrecy and openness in China and reveals how an emperor of the Tang Dynasty helped inspire the world's first FOI law and how China embraced foreign national FOI laws including the U.S. FOIA when the concept of freedom of information was exported to China and the country successfully enacted its own open records law in 2007.

"This book aims to be a groundbreaking project in comparative media law studies. It shows from a freedom of information law perspective how Chinese and Western legal civilizations have been learning from each other for a long time. It's an important story largely untold in Western academia, Western media and Western public discourse," Tang said. "The book combines rigorous legal studies with numerous anecdotes, participant observation and first-hand interviews with Chinese legal scholars, lawyers, journalists and government officials.

Tang serves as director of the Journalism program within the newly established School of Communication and Media. His major areas of research are the First Amendment, freedom of information laws, media law and policy, international journalism and international communication.

"In today's climate of rising ultra-nationalism, isolationism, xenophobia and deglobalization, this work is essential reading for scholars, journalists, legal professionals, graduate students in international media law and anyone interested in China's legal and information systems, as well as the interaction between Chinese and Western legal traditions," Tang said.

"Freedom of Information Law in China: From Imperial Court Dairies to Open Government Information Regulations" was published by Palgrave Macillian/Springer Nature and can be found at bit.ly/3IW33IX and at shorturl.at/l1m75.

To learn more about WIU's School of Communication and Media, visit wiu.edu/communicationmedia.

Posted By: Aaron Viner (AP-Viner@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing