Surrey journalist awarded $275K in defamation lawsuit

A B.C. Supreme Court judge has awarded $275,000 in damages to journalist Bing Chen Gao following a defamation lawsuit. The ruling stems from a series of protests outside Gao’s Surrey home in 2020 and 2023.

Justice Richard Hewson found that Yun Fei Zhu, also known as Yunfei Zhu, made defamatory claims during livestreams that accused Gao of being a spy for the Chinese government. The judge noted there was no evidence to support allegations of criminal conduct or treason.

The court determined that the statements caused Gao severe distress and destroyed his standing within the Chinese-Canadian community. The total award includes $250,000 in general damages and $25,000 in aggravated damages. The judge rejected defenses of fair comment or responsible communication, noting the allegations were circulated without investigation into the truth.