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Diplomatic drama: there are no more Australian journalists in China
After a dramatic diplomatic tug of war, the last two Australian correspondents in China have had to leave the country. According to information from the German Press Agency, the sudden departure was due to an “urgent warning” from the Australian government, after both had been involved in an alleged “state security case” by China.
He is the Beijing studio chief of Australian television station ABC, Bill Birtles, and the correspondent for the “Australian Financial Review” newspaper in Shanghai, Mike Smith.
Bill Birtles upon arrival in Sydney. Image: keystone
“It is a great disappointment to finish my work in China in this way,” Birtles said after landing with his colleague in Sydney on Tuesday on the dpa phone in Beijing.
The exit was only possible after a long fight, during which the journalists took refuge in diplomatic missions in Beijing and Shanghai for four days. The proceedings against the correspondents are also related to the arrest of the prominent Australian presenter of the Chinese state broadcaster CGTN, Cheng Lei.
On Thursday night, state security officials knocked on the door of television correspondent Birtles in Beijing and told him that he was not allowed to leave China. They told him he was “involved in a state security case” but made no accusations, the Australian reported.
Before that, however, there were already “warnings” from the Australian Foreign Office, which had asked both correspondents to get better out of China. So Birtles was about to pack his things.
Relieved: Michael Smith. Image: keystone
On the advice of diplomats, the two journalists sought refuge the next morning at the Australian embassy in Beijing and at the consulate in Shanghai. Difficult negotiations between the two governments in Sydney and Beijing followed.
The exit was only allowed after both had agreed to be questioned at diplomatic missions in the presence of high-level Australian diplomats. Several policemen were present and recorded the interview with a video camera.
It was the case of newscaster Cheng Lei, but the questioning was “more far-reaching than that,” Birtles reported. The journalist worked for the English program of the Chinese state broadcaster.
No complaint has come to light since she was arrested in mid-August. The incidents come against a backdrop of mounting tensions between Australia and China, tougher crackdowns on foreign correspondents and a deterioration in their working conditions in China.
Pressure on foreign journalists is increasing
Just the day before, Beijing had threatened to expel other journalists from the US media. The background to this is months of disputes with the US government over new restrictions on Chinese journalists in the US Increasing pressure on foreign correspondents in China is increasingly lamented as the “new normal.”
The Foreign Correspondents Club in China (FCCC) reported that this year a record number of 17 foreign journalists had already been expelled by canceling their accreditation. At least a dozen others would only get reduced visas as a punitive measure, sometimes just for a month.
After departure, there are no more Australian journalists in China. The Chinese authorities no longer issued visas to others. In a statement from Australian broadcaster ABC, he said that Birtles had been brought in from Beijing “on the advice of the Australian government.” The station hopes to send someone back to China “as soon as possible.”
Financial Review Editor-in-Chief Paul Bailey said: “This incident, which targeted two journalists performing their regular reporting duties, is both unfortunate and disturbing.” (sda / dpa)
