Sky News Reporter Arrested Mid-Broadcast in Tiananmen Square

Sky News Asia correspondent Mark Stone and a camera man were both arrested by Chinese officials while broadcasting a story live on television. The arrest was due to their passes not being displayed properly.

Stone told Sky News viewers on his way to the police station: "This is just a little insight really into the way reporting works in China. "Most of the time things are fine and for most of the day no problems at all, but then every now and then this happens. The police have been entirely civil with us, but they are detaining us nonetheless." In addition, Stone was not carrying his passport, as he is required to do in China. A spokeswoman for Sky News said the broadcaster was attempting to resolve the situation. "We expect them to be released shortly," she said. The news seemed to go down quite well with Stone’s peers; fellow reporter Sophie Ridge tweeted: “Absolutely incredible on Sky News right now - @Stone_SkyNews is live broadcasting his arrest in China” Stone described it as a “surreal experience” and added: “It may look like a set up, I assure you it isn't.”

The news follows Communist leader Xi Jinping’s official appointment as president, making him the man in charge of the word’s largest country, and billions of people. China's economic growth – while detrimental to the environment and sustainability - will see it become more powerful than the West if current trends continue.