A columnist and essayist who wrote for the New York Times Chinese-language website between 2012 and 2014, Yuyu was arrested and charged with espionage in April 2023. He was branded as “anti-socialist” for an essay he wrote. In November 2024, Dong was sentenced to seven years in prison on espionage charges, following prolonged pre-trial detention. More than 100 journalists have signed a letter expressing concern over his imprisonment, and protests have taken place outside the Chinese embassy in Washington, DC.