Australian journalist Cheng Lei formally arrested in China for ‘supplying state secrets’
- Cheng, an anchor for Chinese state television, has written a number of Facebook posts critical of President Xi Jinping and Beijing’s approach to the coronavirus outbreak
- She became the second high-profile Australian citizen to be held in Beijing after writer Yang Hengjun was arrested in January 2019 on suspicion of espionage
An Australian journalist who worked as an anchor for Chinese state television has been formally arrested for “illegally supplying state secrets overseas”, six months after she was detained in China without explanation, Canberra said on Monday.
“Chinese authorities have advised that Ms Cheng was arrested on suspicion of illegally supplying state secrets overseas,” Payne said in a statement.
The detention of Cheng, who conducted interviews with international CEOs for CGTN’s Global Business and BizTalk shows, came as relations between Beijing and Canberra languish.
Payne said Australian diplomats had visited Cheng six times since she was detained, most recently on January 27.
“We expect basic standards of justice, procedural fairness and humane treatment to be met, in accordance with international norms.”
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One post poked fun at Xi’s visit in March to Wuhan, the Covid-19 ground zero: “The big story today, Dear Leader’s visit, triggered titters in the newsroom – waving to a big TV screen showing the coronavirus hospital in Wuhan apparently equals a visit.”
Two other Australian reporters – Bill Birtles and Michael Smith – fled China last September shortly after being interrogated about Cheng.