"The Chinese authorities branded Falun Gong, along with some other practices, movements or organisations , it used the English word "cult" or "evil cult", and introduced a barrage of media material criticising Falun Gong.A nationwide crackdown ensued with the exception of the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau."
It's noticeable how China treads carefully with Hong Kong. Being an ex colony with close links to Britain they know full well that the Western (and particularly British) press would give them bad PR.