Famous Australian journalist ChengLei Returned home this Wednesday after spending detained for three years Chinese Because of vague accusations against national security. Cheng is at the center of poor relations between Canberra and Beijing and his release comes on the eve of the Australian Prime Minister’s visit to China’s capital. Anthony AlbaneseThis highlights the suspicion regarding the political profile of the case.
The journalist was welcomed at Melbourne airport by Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong. The news was announced at a press conference by Albanese, saying: “The government has long been waiting for this moment and her return has been welcomed not only by her family and friends, but by all Australians (…) women and resilient”.
Cheng, 48, was detained on his way to work in the summer of 2020. His profile as the bard of excellence in government did not arouse suspicion. Born in China, she moved to Australia with her family at the age of 10, graduated from the University of Queensland and returned to Beijing two decades ago to begin a career in journalism on an English-language public television channel. He was the face of the flagship financial program. He interviewed ministers and presidents of the brightest companies, highlighted the successful fight against poverty, and presented himself on Twitter as a “passionate speaker on Chinese history.” There was no known disagreement about the official message, or a more sensitive statement than the distant complaints on Australian television about censorship in China.
His channel deleted him from its website, his friends and family lost contact with him, and the Australian embassy said he “surveillance“in an undetermined location. Judicial proceedings began, which ended this Wednesday. Chinese authorities took him to “Revealing state secrets to foreign countries” and they sent him to prison. The trial would only take place two years later, behind closed doors and without diplomatic assistance. Even today it is unknown whether a sentence was imposed. In his first statements, via a letter, Cheng said months ago that he missed his two children and only got 10 hours of sun a year Stating that he can enjoy the light, he said, “I haven’t seen a tree for three years. I evoke every path in the forest, river, lake, diving on the beach, picnics and psychedelic sunsets. “I secretly whisper the names of the places I visit,” said Erdogan, adding, “In my declaration of love for 25 million people and 7 million square kilometers of land, fertile nature and beauty.”
Bilateral relations have deteriorated
His arrest worsened the bilateral rift. Canberra dismantled electronics giant Huawei of networks 5GHe has introduced laws against what he perceives as Chinese intrusions and demanded explanations for the situation. origin Pandemic. Beijing has penalized Australian wine and beef exports. The climate explains why Australia has no journalists in China for the first time in more than half a century, after the last few journalists hastily left on consulate advice.
The Albanian Labor Party’s rise to power last year, following harsh conservative rule, has led to optimism that bilateral harmony will be restored. The process is progressing slower than expected, but dialogue is back Albanese’s visit to Beijing this year was announced. He was pressured by the opposition and wider society to release Cheng before he arrived in Australia’s main trading partner. Albanese recently announced that he had discussed the issue with the prime minister. Li QiangDuring a dinner at the G20 in Bali in September. “Dialogue is always a good idea, even with people you have disagreements with,” he explained.
Another victim of these tensions, Australian journalist and author Yang Hengjun, has been in prison since 2019, also on vague espionage charges and without the sentence of his trial being announced. Albanese repeated this Wednesday that they continue to fight for his release.