The Global Times reports on a gathering of some of China’s most prolific investigative journalists for an academic conference complete with security guards and delegates who are not allowed to speak:

…Above the smell of instant coffee and the words of greetings, three security guards in dark blue uniforms, carrying walkie-talkies, were checking the nametag of each and every participant before they were allowed to go in.
Even the side entrance leading to the toilets was guarded.
…
Outside, a man with no nametag had tried to enter the hall but was led away by security guards with a bag carrying 300 copies of printed materials on constitutional government, according to Wu.
“That’s probably why the authorities are so nervous,” Wu said. “The mere presence of these investigative reporters attracts all sorts of people.”
Unlike previous years, this year’s conference had no question-and-answer session at the end of the presentations.

The article goes on to detail the top 13 investigative stories of the year as decided by the conference:

“State Grid Empire by Wang Qiang
(Report questioning the aggressive acquisition and expansion of the country’s largest electric power transmission and distribution company.)

Vaccine Chaos in Shanxi by Wang Keqin

The rise and fall of Wang Yali by Wang Heyan
(Report exposing Wang Yali, a two-faced fraudulent party official of Shijiazhuang)

Where demolition costs lives, officials walk free by Zhao Lei

Undercover reporters uncover the riddle of employee suicides at Foxconn by Liu Zhiyi and Yang Jibin

The new rich in alliance by Rao Zhi and Wang Yanchun
(The two reporters examined a decade-old, secret network of corrupt, high-ranking officials)

Investigations into the Weinan book case by Bao Xiaodong and Shangguan Jiaoming
(Looking at the case of Xie Chaoping, an author arrested and detained for more than a month for his book The Great Migration.)

Who moved my textbook? by Lan Fang, Ren Bo and Zhang Yanling
9The reporters examined the motives behind the 1.1 million copies of English language textbooks for Year 7 to Year 9 students at 1,149 schools in Anhui Province being changed at the start of the new school term).

Anyuanding: Investigations into “black jails” in Beijing by Long Zhi

Universities in Chongqing accused of forcing students to change their identities from farmers to city residents by Lu Min

New enclosure movement: Multiple violations by new residential projects in Hebei Province by Tu Chonghang

‘Harmonized’ court decisions and a ‘disobedient’ judge discloses inside negotiations by Cao Yong

A re-investigation into Dalian’s oil pipeline explosions by Hu Zhanfen and Yang Jiang
Xinmin Weekly, November 11”