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SHANTOU, China ?? A student with a wide smile and a welcome sign greeted me at the sparkling new airport in this seaside city. She said her name was Jasmine and she was a senior at Shantou University's journalism school, 45 minutes away.

During the drive, Jasmine confided that she was troubled by the Chinese government's latest media crackdown and wondered whether a journalism career was a wise idea these days.

She asked whether the American government censored the press. When I shook my head no, her eyes widened.

"So your journalists can report anything?" she said. "There is so much Chinese media cannot touch."

The student's misgivings are understandable.

Under President Xi Jinping, the Great Firewall of China has become more formidable. China runs the world's most sophisticated online censorship operation and ranks first for the number of journalists in prison ?? 44 at last count by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists.

Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat and Google are blocked. Earlier this month, Reuters reported that China shut down 50 websites and social media accounts "for violations ranging from pornography to publishing political news without a permit."

Journalists are the targets of surveillance, online monitoring and physical intimidation. CPJ reported that since Xi came to power in March 2013, "It has been made clear that the role of the media is to support the party's unilateral rule."

Amid the smog of China's media oppression, there is a ray of sunlight.

A 2013 survey of students at the country's leading journalism schools found that the majority opposed censorship, questioned local media's credibility and didn't think journalists should join the Communist Party.

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Voices: Rays of hope amid Chinese censorship