In recent months, mainland Chinese tax authorities have intensified efforts to identify and tax income held in offshore accounts. While the campaign initially focused on the super-rich and complex offshore trust structures, recent reports indicate that the scope of these inquiries has widened to include middle-income professionals and journalists based in Hong Kong.

Staff members at the South China Morning Post have reported being contacted by tax officials regarding their Hong Kong Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) accounts and other offshore earnings. This shift suggests a more aggressive approach by Beijing to capture tax revenue from citizens who hold assets or earn income outside of the mainland. The campaign appears to be part of a larger, ongoing effort to enforce tax compliance across borders, though the specific criteria for which individuals are being targeted remain unclear. While the government has framed these actions as a necessary measure to curb tax avoidance, the expansion of these inquiries to include media personnel has raised questions about the reach and intensity of the current enforcement drive.