The American media house, The Washington Post has appointed The Wall Street Journal ‘s Shibani Mahtani as its new correspondent for South East Asia. With this the company has hired its first journalist for South East Asia, two months after announcing plans to open a bureau in Hong Kong.
Shibani’s new assigment will encompass the entire South East Asian region from the Philippines to Myanmar. She will also be tasked with keeping “watch on China and its widening clout in the region”, the Post said in a statement.
For the past 18 months, Shibani has covered the American criminal justice system and the Midwest from the Journal’s Chicago bureau.
The Jeff Bezos-owned news outlet already has a small Asia footprint, with bureaus in Beijing, Tokyo, Islamabad and New Delhi.
By June, when the new reporters take up their posts, the Post will have 28 foreign correspondents in 20 locations outside the United States.
The Post’s move follows in the footsteps of American rival The New York Times, which recently doubled down its commercial footprint in Asia.
Shibani, has covered South East Asia for the Journal between 2011 to 2016, first from home turf and then from Myanmar for three years surrounding the landmark 2015 elections.
