Last two Australian journalists in China flee after a week of tense negotiations
Last Wednesday at 12.30am, Chinese security officials visited the homes of two Australian journalists - the last two Australian journalists reporting from China - and said they couldn’t leave the country as they were persons of interest in a national security case.
The two journalists immediately sought refuge in Australia’s Beijing embassy and Shanghai consulate.
This morning, they landed in Australia.
This is what you need to know about the latest diplomatic row between China and Australia - one that now means Australia does not have journalists in China for the first time in almost 50 years.
A week of tense negotiations
Bill Birtles, the ABC’s Beijing correspondent, and Mike Smith, the Australian Financial Review’s correspondent based in Shanghai, were on high alert after the Chinese government last week confirmed the arrest of Cheng Li, an Australian journalist working for Chinese state media.
When they received a knock on their door at 12.30am last Wednesday, it backed the rumours they had heard from Australian diplomats - that it was not safe for them to stay in China.
The “national security case”
The security officers told both Birtles and Smith they must be questioned in a “national security case”.
Over the next five days, while the journalists were sheltered in Australian Government-owned buildings, Australian and Chinese officials held “high-level” negotiations to work through the stalemate.
Birtles and Smith were cleared to leave China on Monday night after they were interviewed by China’s Ministry of State Security.
China’s resistance to foreign journalists grows
On Sunday, China also stopped renewing media credentials for employees of American news outlets, suggesting those journalists would be expelled if U.S. President Donald Trump limited access for Chinese journalists in his country.
Last week, it was revealed that Chinese authorities had detained Chinese-Australian TV journalist Cheng Lei, a business reporter who reportedly shared anti-Chinese Communist Party views on her private Facebook account.
The quote:
“The Australian Government has provided consular support to two Australian journalists in China to assist their return to Australia. Those Australians have now arrived in Australia. Our Embassy in Beijing and Consulate-General in Shanghai engaged with Chinese Government authorities to ensure their well-being and return to Australia.”
Foreign Minister Marise Payne on Tuesday.