Last two journalists working for Australian media leave China amid diplomatic stand-off

Rebecca Speare-Cole8 September 2020

The last two journalists working for Australian media in China have left the country as a diplomatic stand-off intensifies.

Police in China had reportedly demanded interviews with the pair, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

ABC’s Bill Birtles and The Australian Financial Review’s Michael Smith landed in Sydney after flying from Shanghai on Monday night, the broadcaster said.

Both had sheltered in Australian diplomatic compounds in recent days after being visited by Chinese police amid a deepening diplomatic row between the two countries.

ABC's Bill Birties arrives in Sydney
ABC NEWS/AFP via Getty Images

The countries continue to exchange political and diplomatic jabs amid China's broader crackdown on Western journalists.

Chinese police arrived at Mr Birtles’s doorstep last week, demanded he submit to questioning and told him he was banned from leaving the country, the ABC reported.

Australian and Chinese officials negotiated for the travel ban to be lifted if Mr Birtles spoke to police.

Michael Smith arrives back in Australia
AP

The journalists left after Australia revealed last week that Australian citizen Cheng Lei, business news anchor for CGTN, China’s English-language state media channel, had been detained.

Australian media have reported Mr Birtles and Mr Smith were told by Chinese police they were persons of interest in the case of Ms Cheng, whose detention has been widely seen by western observers as a cynical blow by China amid increasing tensions between Beijing and Canberra.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne confirmed that her government had provided consular support to the two journalists to assist their return to Australia.

“Our embassy in Beijing and Consulate-General in Shanghai engaged with Chinese government authorities to ensure their wellbeing and return to Australia,” she said in a statement.

Australia’s travel warning of the risk of arbitrary detention in China “remains appropriate and unchanged,” she added.

Mr Birtles told reporters at Sydney airport that his departure was a “whirlwind and … not a particularly good experience.”

“It’s very disappointing to have to leave under those circumstances and it’s a relief to be back in a country with genuine rule of law,” Mr Birtles said.

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