Australia withdrew its last two journalists from China

Two Australian journalists, Mr. Michael Smith from AFR newspaper (left) and journalist Bill Birtles from ABC station (Australia) flew home from Shanghai on the night of September 7, 2020 – Photo: ABC

According to radio ABC (Australia), radio and newspaper ABC Australian financial review (AFR) had to urgently bring his two journalists home from China, after Chinese police demanded a separate questioning of the two.

These are also the last two Australian journalists working in China to return home, marking the first time since the mid-1970s that there are no longer any licensed Australian journalists working in this country. .

The incident sparked a particularly tense diplomatic conflict between Canbera and Beijing. This came a few days after the Beijing authorities confirmed the arrest of Australian journalist Ms. Cheng Lei, an international television presenter. CGTN from China.

Radio journalist Bill Birtles ABC in Beijing and journalist Mike Smith’s newspaper AFR in Shanghai, he flew back to Sydney on the night of September 7, after the Chinese Ministry of Public Security asked both of them for a private interrogation.

Before that, Birtles had to spend four days at the Australian embassy in Beijing, while Smith had to temporarily stay at the Australian consulate in Shanghai while Canbera officials negotiated with the Beijing government for two days. This journalist is leaving China safely.

This complicated situation began to emerge early last week, when Australian diplomats in Beijing warned Birtles that he should leave China. Officials from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade gave similar advice to the station’s chief executive. ABC in Sydney, Mr. David Anderson.

The information from the query then forced the radio ABC (Australia) must decide to organize a flight back to Australia to receive Mr. Birtles. This journalist had planned to leave from the morning of last Thursday (September 3).

However, although Mr. Birtles has not yet left, according to the radio ABCThe act of intimidation of host government journalists continues to increase. Seven policemen arrived at Mr. Birtles’ apartment at midnight last Wednesday (September 2), when he was having a goodbye party with friends and colleagues.

Chinese police said he was banned from going out and would contact him the next day to arrange a time to question him about the “national security case.”

Mr. Birtles called the Australian embassy and was scheduled to be picked up from his apartment.

The journalist Bill Birtles of the station ABC (Australia) has arrived in Sydney – Photo: ABC

For the next few days, Mr. Birtles stayed at the residence of the Australian diplomatic mission in Beijing. Here, Chinese officials continued to contact him and asked for questioning.

At first, Mr. Birtles refused to speak to them, citing concerns about personal safety.

Then, on Sunday, September 6, he was interrogated by the Chinese authorities with the company of the Australian ambassador to China, Graham Fletcher.

Birtles agreed to speak after Australian and Chinese officials reached an agreement that if Birtles responded, the Chinese side would lift the ban on traveling with him.

During that questioning, the Chinese authorities did not raise any questions about his reports in Australia. The travel ban on Mr. Birtles was later lifted.

Meanwhile, the newspaper of the journalist Smith AFR interrogated on the night of September 7 after staying at an Australian consulate in Shanghai. Newspaper AFR I also had to make arrangements similar to what happened with Mr. Birtles to bring Mr. Smith back to Australia.

This is the latest move for relations to deteriorate further between Australia and China, following a series of tensions over trade, espionage, Hong Kong and the translation of COVID-19.

In July, the Australian government changed its warning to travel with people to China, warning Australians that they could face “arbitrary detention” in mainland China.