Journalists working for Australian media in China fly home fearing for their safety

The last two journalists working for Australian media in China left the country after police demanded interviews with them, the Australian government and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

Bill Birtles of ABC and the Australian financial reviewMichael Smith landed in Sydney after flying in from Shanghai.

Both had taken refuge in Australian diplomatic compounds in recent days.

Chinese police arrived at Birtles’ door last week, demanding that he undergo questioning and telling him that he was prohibited from leaving the country, ABC reported.

Australian and Chinese officials negotiated lifting the travel ban if Birtles spoke to police.

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

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

“Our embassy in Beijing and the Consulate General in Shanghai made a commitment to the Chinese government authorities to ensure their well-being and return to Australia,” he said in a statement.

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

-AP