Veteran China Correspondent Christopher Bodeen Dies at 55

Christopher Bodeen, a veteran wire service correspondent who spent decades chronicling China's transformation into a global power, died Monday after a battle with cancer and complications from a stroke. He was 55. His daughter, Ingrid, confirmed the news Thursday from Taiwan.

Bodeen, who spoke fluent Mandarin with a distinctive Taiwan accent, reported from Shanghai, Beijing, and Taipei, becoming the agency's go-to journalist for Chinese politics and military affairs. He was known for his ability to parse the often opaque statements of the Chinese government and place them in historical context.

Colleagues recalled his dedication and resourcefulness. After a devastating earthquake hit Sichuan province in 2008, Bodeen filed his eyewitness account from a ruined town via text messages because phone networks were down. His report was among the first the world received about the disaster.

His career took him to war zones and natural disasters across the globe. In 2001, he hid in the hills of Hainan Island to cover the return of a US Air Force plane that had been forced down. He also reported from Afghanistan, where he made sure to stay involved in his daughters' education, having homework faxed to him so he could review it with them.

Bodeen joined the wire service in 1996 in Taiwan, later worked as an editor in New York, and moved to Beijing as a correspondent in 2000. He graduated from Tufts University in 1993 with a degree in history and Asian studies.

Friends remembered his love of the Boston Red Sox, obscure punk rock, and his infectious enthusiasm for journalism. He was also known for his sharp wit and deep knowledge of local food and classic comedies.

Bodeen is survived by his wife, Yen Ling, daughters Ingrid and Naomi, his parents, and a sister.