China says Australian journalist Cheng Lei detained on national security grounds
- CGTN anchor is being held on suspicion of ‘criminal activity endangering China’s national security’, according to foreign ministry
- It also defended its treatment of two Australian correspondents who were evacuated from China after being questioned by state security
During a regular briefing on Tuesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said authorities had taken “compulsory measures” against Cheng – a Chinese-born Australian anchor for state-run broadcaster Chinese Global Television Network – on suspicion of “criminal activity endangering China’s national security”.
Zhao said the police were engaging in “normal enforcement of the law” when questioning Birtles and Smith. “But when you’re in China, [you] also have the obligation to observe Chinese laws and regulations,” he told reporters. “As long as the foreign journalists observe laws and report according to law, there’s no need to worry.”
The departure of Birtles, who was based in Beijing, and Smith, who was working from Shanghai, has raised significant concern in Australia, as it marked the first time since 1972 that there were no accredited journalists for Australian media working in mainland China.